


Casa da Incubo

by hikari100



Series: Oscurita ovvero Morte? [1]
Category: Super Mario Bros., Super Smash Brothers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Character Death, Choking, Crossover, F/M, M/M, Mind Control, Possession, Verbal Abuse, powers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-11
Updated: 2018-02-01
Packaged: 2018-02-12 15:18:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 24,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2114796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hikari100/pseuds/hikari100
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU: Long has the history of Mushroom Kingdom remained a secret. Until the day Luigi discovers a terrible secret about the Kingdom, and his own past. Can Luigi survive the trials that will follow? Or will he be consumed by the darkness? *Powerful!Luigi*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ombré e Segreti

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luigi finds himself trekking through a jungle, all the while annoyed at what life had become. Unfortunately, he finds something that should have been left forgotten.

Hm…

A young man, with a thoughtful look upon his boyish face, was trekking through a jungle. This jungle was in the deepest parts of Ombra e Segreto; an island that was untouched by man. Nothing but thick, colorful plants, unusually large trees and mountains as far as the eye could see.

**_I should be close._ **

Twenty-three-year-old Luigi Mario sighed, running a hand through his chestnut hair. His baby blue eyes were slightly narrowed as he glared down at the map in frustration. Three months, that was how long that he had been on this fruitless trip. After all, you wouldn’t expect a former plumber apprentice to be in the middle of nowhere; on the hunt for an artifact, did you?

Cause, he sure didn’t! Luigi’s mind drifted over to what had led him here. At nineteen, he had been living in Brooklyn with his older brother; Mario, studying under his watchful eye. That is, until a large green pipe showed up. With its sudden appearance, the two brothers had stumbled in shock. Unfortunately, their little stumble had led them to falling into the pipe.

And straight into Mushroom Kingdom.

Upon arriving, only Luigi saw the pipe disappearing. Seeing that green pipe sinking into the ground, Luigi knew with sickening horror that they were trapped in this new world. Well, at least the locals were friendly enough.

Usually.

As the brothers began to adapt to this new world, the bond between them changed. While Mario's popularity with the kingdom grew, Luigi faded into the background. Unfortunately, it had gotten to the point where he was being ridiculed by everyone; and he meant every _one_. Thankfully, someone had caught onto his depression in time. Having noticed his interest in history, they had suggested that he'd make a career out of it. Thinking it over, Luigi chose to study the history of this new world.

Once Luigi started his new career, he was glad with his decision. Unknown to anyone, except for his savior. Luigi was responsible for quite a few things within the kingdom. Luigi was simply glad to get away from his arrogant brother.

Sigh...

Luigi's eyes grew cloudy, as if troubled by something. Absentmindedly, his fingers brushed along a particular scar. It started just inches under his right ear, going at a diagonal angle across his throat. Such an angry slash, shaded a deep red as if recently healed.

-.-.-.-

**Flashback**

_Seven-year-old Luigi shyly hid behind his mother. It had been raining for days when it finally cleared up just the other day. And with it being such a warm, clear day, his mother had chosen to take him and his older brother to the local park. Mario had already wandered off, leaving Luigi with their mother. Small, colorful lights sparkled before him; fluttering about. He looked up at his mother with wide, innocent eyes. She smiled softly and nodded, earning a toothy grin from her youngest boy. Grinning with delight, Luigi followed the lights; his soft laughter mingling with the sounds of twinkling bells. Sadly, this peaceful day would end in tragedy. And it would occur right here at this very park._

_"Hey, freak!"_

_Huh?_

_Luigi stopped, his arms falling to his side; slowly turning around. He paled slightly at the sight of a group of boys standing there. There were six of them, ranging from thirteen to seventeen, each bore a cruel look as they glared at the frightened boy. "Aren't you the freak who sees things?" One of the younger boys sneered. "What do you think you're doing here?" Luigi swallowed thickly, as the lights around him darkened a bit. He started to inch away, as if to run; unfortunately, they saw this and surrounded him in a matter of seconds._

_Crud._

_"And where do you think you're going?" A fifteen-year-old demanded sharply as a thirteen-year-old grabbed Luigi. "Lemme go!" Luigi squealed, struggling to escape. His struggles only angered the older boy, as he tightened his hold over Luigi. "You're on our turf now," The oldest; seventeen, sneered. "And it's high time that we taught you a lesson." Luigi's eyes widen when he saw what the teen was holding. Oh, he recognized the gleaming object, alright._

_It was the gleam of a knife._

**END Flashback**

-.-.-.-

After that, things got a little blurry for him. What Luigi did remember, was rather odd. One minute, he had a knife being aimed at his face, then the next thing he knew, he was alone. The group of boys were nowhere to be found, while Luigi was left with a sore throat. Strangely enough, he was soaking wet. And it wasn't until he was in the safety of his room, that he realized what had happened with startling clarity.

He…he died.

But yet, he was still very much alive.

Luigi grimaced, allowing his hand to drop. Someone or something had saved him that day, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know. Luigi shuddered at the thought of ever meeting his 'savior'.

**Laughter.**

Huh? 

The sounds of a soft, sweet laughter drifted lazily through the air; catching his attention. Luigi stiffened slightly, something about that laughter unsettled him. Shaking off his unease, Luigi hurried on. Unknown to him, he was being watched.

But…by whom?

And why?

-.-.-.-

**"Ah, my dear Luigi."**

**"Soon, you will be mine."**

-.-.-.-

After another hour or so of walking, Luigi's legs finally gave out. With a pained groan, an exhausted Luigi collapsed. Panting, he struggled to remain conscious; but the sweet darkness beckoned him. Without warning, a sharp jolt of pain went straight through his heart. Wincing, Luigi reached up to rub at his chest. Just as his hand brushed against his chest, the ache within his head; something that he had failed to notice, had gone from a dull ache to a raging storm. The pain was immense, and Luigi felt his strength rapidly drain; and at long last, he lost the battle and slipped into blissful unconsciousness.

-.-.-.-

_"Wake up, child."_

Luigi groaned softly, mind hazy as he drifted between dreams and reality. For once in his life, he felt safe and warm. Did he really want to wake up to a world of pain and misery?

_"WAKE UP!"_

With a startling cry, Luigi's blue eyes snapped open; scrambling to attention. The poor man was white as a sheet, wheezing badly; a hand over his heart. "What the hell was that?" He grumbled, trying to calm his racing heart. Come to think of it, where was he? Shaking his head, Luigi scanned his surroundings. Well, for one thing, he wasn't in the jungle. Instead, Luigi found himself in an underground cavern. The only source of light, came from the few torches that lined the rocky walls.

**_How did I get here?_ **

Luigi frowned, realizing with agitation that he was surrounded but nothing but walls. As far as he could tell, there was no signs of an entry. "More importantly," He growled, placing his hands on his hips in frustration. "How do I get out?"

_"Luigi…"_

E-eh?

Luigi's blue eyes suddenly dimmed as his arms fell to his side. He stood there, so still that you would have assumed him to be a statue. What sounded like something being moved, had caught his attention. Luigi's head turned slightly to the left. One of the cavern walls was slowly sinking into the ground, revealing a set of musty stairs that led downwards. Still in a trance, he walked over, but not before grabbing a torch.

And descended into hell.

While walking, a soft voice whispered within his cloudy mind. The stairwell ended suddenly, and greeting him was a dark tunnel. Not even bothered by this, Luigi moved on. Thankfully, the tunnel wasn't all that long; and the door that was at the end, was also unlocked. Luigi gently nudged the door open and crept inside. He then lit a single torch, before taking a step back. A single red spark seemed to jump from the newly lit torch, and within seconds, every torch was lit. As the room was illuminated softly, the light returned to Luigi's eyes.

**_What the—?_ **

Luigi blinked owlishly. "How did I get here?" He wondered, looking around with curiosity. The room appeared to have been carved from some sort of stone; strange runes lining the walls. Besides the torches, there was one other thing in this room. A single stone slab was set in the middle of the area. 

**_Is…is that a book?_ **

Squinting slightly, Luigi was surprised to find that there was indeed a book sitting on the slab. Curiosity was beginning to take control, Luigi walked up to it and held the torch up so that he could see it properly. The book was quite odd as there was something...off about it. The silver pages were held together by a simple black binder. A single pearl decorated each corner, a dark blue gem embedded in the center, and intricate red lines circling throughout the cover.

How interesting…

His curiosity suddenly gave way to desire. A strong urge to take hold of the book burned within his soul. Seeing no harm in picking up a book, Luigi reached for it.

Big mistake.

The moment that Luigi's hands brushed along the cover, the blue gem glowed a sickly purple, before the book flew open; the pages flapping angrily. Once again, Luigi's eyes dimmed; but at least this time, he was more aware of what was happening around him. Without warning, a large crystal rose up from the pages. Strangely enough, the crystal was in the shape of a heart; shaded the deepest of blacks. The crystal heart flashed, before diving straight into Luigi's chest; immediately, his blue eyes turned pitch black.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then... _PAIN_!

Luigi gasped, nearly choking as he fell to his knees. Dropping the torch, Luigi reached up to his chest; to be more precise, right where his heart was. There, filtering through his fingers, was a dark purplish black light; a light that was slowly turning to crystal. Luigi couldn't help with what had happened next.

He screamed.


	2. Avvertimenti Minacciosi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looks like Luigi's having some trouble. Is this a warning of the future or just a crazy dream?

Mario House

**Two Weeks Later**

**_Where am I?_ **

_Luigi blinked owlishly, feeling a bit confused. Why on earth was he doing in the dining room at home? The last thing he remembered was being in that storage room. Anything else that would have happened after the island, was a complete and utter blank. Sitting across the table from him, was Mario. His older brother looked decidedly bored to the point of yawning. Everything appeared to be normal, but Luigi was getting some serious bad vibes._

_"M-M-M-M-M-M-MARIO!"_

_What the—?_

_Luigi scrambled to his feet, blue eyes snapping to the door. Mario, too, had gotten to his feet, also alarmed. They both knew that cry all too well; but what was one doing outside of their home? Getting up, the two headed outside; and sure enough, there was a Toad running up the path. The poor thing was exhausted, struggling to breathe after running for so long. Luigi knelt down, rubbing the shaking Toad's back. "Toad," He said softly. "What happened?" Toad was breathing heavily, slowly calming down as Luigi's gentle rubbing soothed his frazzled nerves. "Mushroom Castle..." He wheezed, dark eyes wild. "...raided..." Luigi exchanged a surprised looked with Mario. "Princess Peach...stolen..."_

**_Again?!_ **

_Luigi gritted his teeth as he stood back up. One of these days, someone should plant a tracking device on that girl. Shaking his head, he turned to Mario. "Think Bowser had anything to do with this?" He suggested, as Mario scowled. "Wouldn't surprise me one bit," He grumbled. Humming softly, Luigi looked up at the sunny skies with an unreadable look._

**_Why am I getting a bad feeling about this?_ **

.-.-.-.

Mario yawned, stretching lazily. He was hoping for a quiet day today, as he really wasn't in the mood for another kidnapping. Plus, he wanted to spend some quality time with his little brother; as they weren't as close as they used to be. Turning his head slightly to the left, to where the clock on the beside table was; Mario saw that it was rather late.

Sighing, he reluctantly got up and changed into his usual red-and-blue outfit. Still yawning, and in some serious need of caffeine, Mario headed for the kitchen. On his way downstairs, Mario bypassed his brother's room. Normally, Luigi's door remained shut, but not this time. Instead, the door stood partially opened, and Mario could see that Luigi was curled up in bed. _Hm_ , he mused. _He must still be tired from his trip._

Caffeine, here he comes!

.-.-.-.

**Bowser's Castle**

_Bowser stood in his throne room, overlooking his massive army of Goombas, Koopas and Troopas; every single one of them cheered loudly for their king. Hearing this, Bowser grinned ferally, looking rather smug about something. "Listen well, my elite minions," Bowser spoke in a deep, gruff voice. "Today is the day that I make my beloved Princess Peach all mine." His grin turned lecherous as he licked his lips, his fangs gleaming slightly. "I'll also stomp her little mustache buddies flat!"_

_Wait a minute…_

_Bowser's dark eyes zeroed in on two particular people who stood near the entryway. His glee quickly turned to fury as he recognized the intruders. Flames flickering as he gritted his teeth, Bowser stomped toward them as his army scurried away in fear. "Mario…" He growled, spitting the man's name out as if it were a curse. "And Luigi?!" It was clear that the lizard king was not happy with their arrival. "What the hell are you two doing here?" He snapped, before realizing something. "And how'd you get in here, anyway?"_

_Luigi raised an eyebrow as Mario gave the king a dirty look. "You left the front gate open," Mario said flatly. Bowser spluttered loudly in disbelief. "How many times have I told those idiots?!" He yelled, stomping a foot in anger. "If you're the last one in, close the damn gate!" Luigi gave the overgrown lizard a pointed look. "Look," He said, tiredly but flatly. "We know that you took the princess." Bowser stopped, looking at Luigi, as if surprised. "Now, where is she?" Now that he was calming down, all traces of anger was gone; instead, it was replaced by confusion. "What are you talking about?" He asked curiously._

**_What if…?_ **

_"MARIO!"_

_Everyone jumped in shock when Princess Peach appeared overhead. She was trapped in what appeared to be some sort of colorful forcefield. Peach looked alright, if not a little distressed; and who could blame her? But, if it wasn't Bowser who took her...then who did? Luigi twitched slightly as dark energy began to gather, before a strange man appeared next to Peach. Luigi didn't recognize him, only that he didn't hail from the Mushroom Kingdom. Or any other kingdom, for that matter._

_After all, who had blue skin?_

_The man's single red-gold eye scanned them carefully as he gripped a golden cane tightly. "Your princess," He hissed; his voice low and silky. "Has been stolen by me." Bowser frowned, glaring up at the man while Luigi shuddered. The darkness that the stranger was oozing, was making Luigi dizzy. "No one steals Peach, except for me!" Bowser snapped, stamping a foot in anger. "Now, let her go!" Luigi squinted, raising a hand to his eyes as a black book appeared in the man's other hand. Now, why did that book look so familiar to him? "Nonsense," The man mocked. "She is integral to fulfilling the prophecy." He smiled, such a cruel smile that it sent chills down Luigi's spine. "She will be used to destroy all worlds," He continued, still smiling. "So says the Dark Prognosticus!"_

_The Dark…Prognosticus?_

_Wait a minute…_

_"Destroy all worlds?!" Luigi yelled in shock, as he turned a sickly color. Scowling, Mario lunged for the man. However, said man flicked his wrist, and dark energy flickered briefly around Mario. Mario yelped as he was slammed into the ground with a sickening crack._

_"Mario!"_

.-.-.-.

"Mmm…"

Mario sighed softly, breathing in the delicious aroma of his coffee. His brown eyes dimmed slightly as he thought about his little brother. There was so much to Luigi that he was unaware of, so much so that he wondered if their family bond could even survive.

(...)

_Mario stood at the docks, waiting anxiously. He couldn't believe what Toadsworth had told him about Luigi. Mario wished that he had seen it, but no; he had been too caught up with the fame of being the kingdom's hero. It was Toadsworth who had seen how Luigi's depression had threatened to consume him, or how everyone was treating him so cruelly. Mario frowned, truly ashamed of himself. Luigi was his precious baby brother, the last link that he had to their parents._

I'm a fool.

_The sound of a bullhorn caught his attention. Snapping out of his depressing thoughts, Mario looked up. A rather nice looking cruise ship was just pulling up to the docks. After awhile, the passengers started to depart; and soon, an all too familiar man appeared. "Luigi!" Mario called out, relieved by the sight of his brother. Luigi turned around, startled when someone had called out his name. To his surprisement, Mario was coming up to him through the crowd of the other passengers. Mario was taking in his brother's appearance, amazed by how much Luigi had changed._

_Luigi looked much healthier than he remembered. His pale skin had taken on a much healthier golden tone, and his dark hair had been bleached by the sun; now a soft chestnut. Luigi was a little thinner than normal, and there were shadows lingering in his blue eyes. And Mario had a sinking feeling that those were shadows that he had caused. "What are you doing here?" Luigi asked quietly, lifting his one bag over his shoulder. Mario flushed, looking away in embarrassment as he scratched a cheek. "Toadsworth," He mumbled. "He told me." Luigi stiffened, gritting his teeth; his bangs shadowing his eyes. "And what exactly did he tell you?"_

_"Everything."_

.-.-.-.

_"Ooh…what happened…?_

_"Heh, heh…oh, you're awake Princess!"_

_Blue eyes snapping open, a disoriented Peach found herself in what appeared to be a wedding chapel. The man who had taken her, was hovering overhead, while Bowser was stood across from her. For some odd reason, he was wearing a white tuxedo._

_What if…?_

_Feeling nauseous, Peach looked down and turned a sickly color. Her lovely pink gown had been replaced with a greyish-white wedding gown. Even worse, she was holding onto a small bouquet of lilies._

_Oh, gods…_

_"What's going on here?!" She shrieked in fury. Without warning, a young woman appeared next to the man. She had the same blue skin, but shocking pink hair, and dark eyes that shone behind her pink, cat-shaped glasses. "Count," The woman greeted. Her voice was somewhat low, husky one might say; and very, very nervous. "So, preparations are complete." The 'count' grinned ferally, sending a chill through Peach. "Mmm…then it shall be done."_

_E-eh?_

_"Bowser," The count said to the lizard king, his voice silky soft. "Ferocious and fearsome, evil king of the Koopas," His smile turned shark-like. "Do you take Princess Peach to be your lawfully wedded wife 'till your games be over?"_

_WHAT?!_

_Bowser grinned as he roared with laughter. "Will I marry Peach?" He cackled with glee. "Are you kidding?" His grin turned lecherous. "The answer is yes!" Gagging, she jumped when she heard cheering. Peach turned her head slightly to the left; stunned to find that Bowser's entire army had filled up the chapel._

_Wait a minute —_

Is that Luigi?!

_Peach was shocked to find Luigi among the crowd of Bowser's minions. However, unlike the army, Luigi was laid out on the ground; clearly not moving. Then, the count turned to her. "Peach," He purred. "Noble princess, pure of heart," Peach really wasn't liking where this was going. "Do you take Bowser to be your lawfully wedded husband 'till your games be over?"_

_Oh, hell no!_

_"Now, wait just a minute!" Peach shouted, narrowing her blue eyes. "You will explain to me what is going on…right now!" The count snickered softly, adjusting his monocle. "Is it not obvious?" He mocked. "This is your wedding, princess!"_

_Wha…what?_

_"But…but why in the world am I marrying Bowser?!" She demanded, sounding hysterical. Bowser continued to laugh, enjoying himself immensely. "Hey, no gripes from this side of the altar, Bleck ol' boy!"_

_Bleck…_  
_...was that his name?_

_Bowser looked over to her with twinkling eyes. "I don't get all of the details," He told her. "But the count here went through a lot of trouble planning all of this." He closed his eyes with delight as he smiled. "So relax, we'll get married, fall in love, and it'll be awesome!"_

_"No!"_

_Peach stomped a foot in anger. "And who picked out this dress?" She demanded, hotly. "It's awful!" Her blue eyes were blazing with anger. "Take me back to my castle immediately!" Peach knew that she was being rude, but could anyone blame her? The woman frowned, clearly displeased by Peach's tantrum. Her glasses flashed as she adjusted them; and Peach squeaked as she was abruptly slammed into the ground. Dark crimson energy cackled ominously around her still form; pressing her down even further._

_Being rude to the esteemed count is frowned on." Her frown deepened. "Now Princess Peach, I'm going to need you to answer the count." The woman sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Do you, Peach, take Bowser to be your lawfully wedded husband 'till your games be over?" She asked tiredly._

_"Unh…nuh…no…"_

_The woman raised an eyebrow. "Hm, you're definitely a fighter." She smiled slightly, which was cold. "But, yeah, no one can resist my hypnosis." Her eyes harden as she glared at the downed blond. "Now say it!" She hissed, as the energy cackled loudly._

_"Oooh…ooooh…I…I…do…"_

_Without warning, the building seemed to lurch. Bowser's eyes grew wide as a rather large, black crystallized heart rose up from the podium. The lizard king was nervous as the crystal heart floated over to the count. Something about the crystal was sending his instincts into overdrive. Luigi groaned, as his head throbbed upon regaining consciousness. His blue eyes slowly opened, and the young man blinked blearily before his vision cleared and he abruptly sat up; only to wince as his headache worsened._

_Why was he inside a church?_  
_And where was the princess?_

_Hm?_

_Luigi shuddered as something gripped at his heart. He felt so cold and empty all of a sudden; a faint trace of anger going through him. His eyes zeroed in on the altar where that faint trace grew stronger. At the altar, he found Bowser, the creep from before, an unconscious Peach, and a strange woman with similar to the creep. Hovering near the man, was a crystallized black heart. Upon seeing that heart, rage consumed Luigi; and unknown to anyone, his blue eyes turned a pitch black. The man snickered softly, cackling with malicious glee. "Yessss..." He hissed, his visible eye reflecting his madness. "All precisely as written in the Dark Prognosticus!" His grin turned maniacal. "Already it is unleashed, the Chaos Heart!"_

**_That's what you think._ **

_The woman shifted slightly, looking a bit nervous. "Oh, um, congratulations count..." She trailed off, before yelping as a ball of dark, greenish-black flames spiraled towards her. Looking towards the audience, she saw similar flames swirling around Luigi's fists. Luigi kept throwing fiery blasts in their direction. That is, until one ball of flames struck the crystal. The Chaos Heart flashed, before sprouting spikes. Almost instantly, a malicious dark energy washed over the crowd._

_Oh hell..._

.-.-.-.

A sudden chill went through Mario, and he shuddered. Something didn’t feel right to him. He looked ill, swallowing thickly as he placed a hand over his heart.

"Luigi…"

.-.-.-.

**_Ungh…my head…_ **

_Luigi groaned, his head aching worse than ever. Cloudy blue eyes slowly opened, before clearing. Blinking owlishly, he sat up; looking around curiously. Instead of the chapel, Luigi found himself in an entirely new place. The walls were a shimmering purplish-black, with the floor and ceiling being made entirely from a polished black marble._

**_Where…am I?_ **

_"Yo! You awake yet, green?"_

_Luigi raised an eyebrow as two Goombas walked right up to him. "Yes," He said slowly, as he got to his feet; a bit suspicious by the two. "Glad to see that you're okay," One said, sounding oddly cheerful. Luigi rolled his eyes, before tensing as a soft voice whispered within his mind:_ Figured that he was done for.

_Huh?_

He's tougher than he looks.

_"Eh," Luigi scratched his cheek as he looked embarrassed. "You haven't seen the princess or Bowser around, have you?" The two jumped, before the second Goomba shook his head. "No," He said bitterly. "You're the only one that we've found._

Who cares about his friend?

_Luigi growled softly, his eyes darkening by several shades. "As far as we know," The first said nervously. "Is that the others got captured." He whimpered, tearing up. "And we're probably next!" He wailed._

Why is he so calm?

_Oh boy._

.-.-.-.

Mario ran back upstairs, feeling a deep seated fear. Running into his brother's room, Mario froze at the sight. Luigi laid in bed, violent trembles gripped him tightly; gasping for air. Moving quickly, he scooped his brother up, shifting him onto his back, before he started for the castle.

"Hang in there, Luigi!"

.-.-.-.

_The odd trio slowly made their way through the darkness. Somehow, they were able to avoid everyone. Unfortunately, their luck was doomed to run out. The trio had just come to a dead end, and somehow, Luigi wasn't surprised. "Uh," The second Goomba hesitated, as if unsure. "Shouldn't we be looking for another way out?" He continued. "If we stay here, somebody will—" Luigi was surprised when the Goomba's voice was cut off, and he whirled around._

_The Goomba jerked and twitched as a dark, crimson red energy cackled around his twitching form. "Hail Bleck!" He said, flatly. The Goomba's eyes were glazed over, and his voice was simply...empty. Wait, Luigi recognized that energy; it was the same energy that had been cackling around Peach's unconscious form. "Gary!" The first cried, and Luigi couldn't help it; he snorted. Seriously? Where did Bowser come up with these names? Gary the Goomba? He was snapped out of his amusing thoughts, when he heard the soft click of heels. Luigi slowly turned, his blue eyes turning black as he did so._

_"You!" He hissed, flames coming to life._  
_It was the woman from before._

_Right behind her, stood some of Bowser's army; their eyes glazed. "I've been looking all over for you," She said simply. "You're the one from before." She was amused when he took a step back. "So, let's get started, hm?" Luigi froze as the Goomba brushed past him. "Hey, lady!" He said loudly. "Got room for one more on your team?" Luigi's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He hissed, fire blazing with rage. The Goomba glared at him. "What does it look like, genius?" He said hotly._

_"I'm getting with the winning team!"_

**_Traitor!_ **

_She gave a cruel smile. "Alright, boys." Everyone snapped to attention, as if waiting for orders. "New agenda." Luigi swallowed thickly, his anger giving way to weariness; his eyes reverting back to blue as the flames immediately dissipating. "Hold this fool down so that I can get his priorities on track."_

_"Ma'am! Yes, ma'am!"_

_Luigi paled, yelping as claws dug painfully into his arms, holding him in place. "No!" He shouted, struggling to break free. Sadly, for Luigi, that is, their grip was a little too strong for him. "Mario!" He screamed, his blue eyes turning a milky gray. "HELP ME!"_

.-.-.-.

Mario managed to reach the castle in record time. Princess Peach, along with several Toads, greeted him warmly. However, they were shocked by Mario's arrival; Luigi was still shaking like a leaf. Moments later, Luigi was taken to the hospital wing while Peach tried to get some information from Mario.

"Mario," Peach said softly, her blue eyes worried as she clasped her hands tightly. "What happened to Luigi?" Mario looked up at her, his brown eyes blank; but teary. "I...I don't know," He whispered. The two were about to head down to the hospital wing, when something quite odd happened. The air grew thick, heavy as if being suppressed with some form of invisible energy. "NO!" A terrified voice screamed with such fear, that it sent a chill down the spines of everyone who heard it.

"Luigi..."

Mario hurried down the hall, and all that he could think about was his little brother. About halfway down the hall, he found Luigi huddling against a wall, curled up tightly; trembling dangerously. Bits of what looked like glass, was scattered about; and several cuts marred his brother's now pale skin.

"Luigi?"

The young brother looked up, tears streaming from his blue eyes. He looked so scared, and yet his eyes shone with his pain. Without warning, Luigi hugged Mario tightly, and just broke down in tears. Mario wrapped his arms around his brother; whispering soothing words.

"What's happening to you, bro?"


	3. Spiriti Oscuri

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unusual letter is sent to Luigi, and Mario is downright furious with such a cruel prank. Luigi's dislike of spirits was legendary among the kingdom, and someone had the gall to prank Luigi with a letter saying that he won a mansion in Boo Woods? Whoever sent this letter had better watch out, an overprotective Mario was on the war path.

After what seemed like forever, Luigi was finally calming down. Not surprisingly, he had fallen asleep in his brother's arms. Mario shifted slightly, making sure to adjust his position as he continued to run a hand through Luigi's hair. Still in a bit of shock, Peach had some of her staff clean the mess up; her blue eyes never once leaving the brothers. Once the glass had been cleared, she knelt down to Mario. Even though that she never once showed it, Peach did care for Luigi. She found him to be rather sweet, if not a little shy. But this display, was not like the Luigi that she knew.

Seeing him break down like that, bawling as if he was a frightened child, sent a chill down her spine; and she felt her heart break. Mario, on the other hand, was nervous; not to mention angry. Something had obviously happened to Luigi when he was on that trip. But, what could have changed his sweet brother into a terrified child? He hadn't seen Luigi like this since they were kids. Despite his disturbing thoughts, Mario felt the princess sitting next to him. However, before he could speak to her; a new voice spoke up.

"Princess?"

Peach looked up to see a Toad dressed in red, standing there. The little guy looked nervous, as he adjusted his mushroom cap; a mail bag slung across one shoulder as he held out a letter. "I'm sorry to bother you princess." Red looked towards the brothers with worried dark eyes. "But I have a letter for Luigi."

A letter...?

Mario gave her a slight nod and Red handed the letter over. He gave the brothers one last look, his gaze lingering the longest on Luigi. With a sigh, Red left to continue his deliveries. Turning the letter over; which was sealed with a strange, blood red crest (the crest looked like a gemmed crown of some sort), and saw that Luigi's name was written out in an elegant handwriting.

_Let's see now..._

Peach undid the seal, before reading the letter out loud; raising an eyebrow as her blue eyes reflected her disbelief. _"Dear Luigi,"_ She began. _"Congratulations for entering our contest. You have been declared the winner and have won a fully furnished mansion."_ There was even a map of where the mansion was located. _"We have provided you a map, and cannot wait for your arrival."_

Was this some kind of joke?

Mario looked up, surprised by the letter's contents. He simply held out a hand, the other still wrapped around his brother. "May I?" He questioned as she handed it over. Something about this letter didn't sound right to either of them.

Scanning the letter, Mario's brown eyes darkened and Peach knew that her suspicions had indeed been confirmed. Mario, was seething as he glared at the innocent letter. Checking the date of this so-called contest got him seeing red. The date was set up when Luigi had been on his trip. There was no way for him to have entered this contest, which someone else did as a malicious joke. Mario then saw that the mansion was set up in Boo Woods, and Luigi's dislike for the annoying spirits was legendary among the Mushroom Kingdom.

Whoever set this prank up, was in big trouble.

.-.-.-.

Shortly after Mario had left for Boo Woods, Peach had some of her staff settle Luigi in a private room down in her wing of the castle. What she hadn't told Mario, that like him, she and many others had been told off by Toadsworth for their treatment of the younger brother.

Boy, was that embarrassing.

What was strange, was when Wario and Waluigi showed up at the castle. The two were incredibly stubborn, having refused all demands to leave until they saw Luigi. And knowing how mischievous the two could get when no one was watching, she reluctantly allowed them into the castle.

.-.-.-.

Boo Woods

By the time it was late afternoon, Mario found himself walking along a dirt path within the creepy forest. All around him stood massive gnarled trees, with the branches reaching out like hands; eerie fog rolling along the path. Strangely enough, despite the hour, the skies were quite dark; twinkling stars shining above him.

Mario couldn't believe that there was someone within the kingdom who was cruel enough to send such a letter to his brother. Suddenly, a cold chill went down his spine and Mario realized that the path was beginning to come to an end. Taking a deep breath, Mario slowly looked up and his eyes widen slightly.

_Ciò che il…?_

.-.-.-.

While Mario was rendered speechless, Wario and Waluigi were fretting over their cousin's health. Yes, that's right; cousin. Unknown to anyone in this world, but Wario and Waluigi were indeed related to Mario and Luigi; they were cousins through their father. Like Mario, Wario was on the short side, but more chubbier than his cousin. Thankfully, not all of his chubbiness were fat, but muscles instead. Besides his weight, Wario also had a slight overbite; much to his annoyance. Now, Waluigi on the other hand, was much taller than Wario and very skinny; but it was natural. Both brothers had the same light brown hair and intense dark eyes.

Their appearance in this world was a funny story, really. Apparently, about a week after Mario and Luigi had gone missing; Wario and Waluigi went to check up on them (on the behest of their very hysterical aunt). Upon entering the empty apartment, the two found a certain green pipe in their cousin's living room. And like their cousins, the two fell into the pipe; and were thrown into the world of Mushroom Kingdom.

Anyway, not long after their arrival; the two ran into their cousins. And of course, an immediate rivalry was started between Wario and Mario; and they wounded up dragging their younger brothers into it. Oddly enough, everyone thought that the four were mortal enemies. But, wasn't family supposed to fight with one another? There were times, when none of them could understand the inhabitants here.

"Come on cuz," Wario pleaded, softly.

Hm?

Turning from the lone window, Waluigi glanced to a far corner where a single bed sat. The room was alright, but Waluigi found it to be a bit depressing himself. The room was done up in soft shades of blue and green, but with a single bed; which was a polished white with a single white pillow and a dark green coverlet. And as for the bed's occupant...?

It was Luigi.

Luigi was sitting up, but his once lovely blue eyes had grown dark and dim; seemingly devoid of all life. Waluigi wasn't a doctor, but even he could tell that his little cousin was in a deep state of shock. "You can't go in there!" A voice yelled angrily, causing the two to exchange bewildered looks.

"Was that Peach?" Waluigi asked, stunned.  
"Sounds like it.

Approaching the room, they could hear what sounded like heavy footsteps; which was quite odd. The only ones in the castle should be the princess and her staff of Toads. And whoever was coming towards them, was clearly an unknown. Glancing uneasily at his brother, Wario gave a slight nod as a sharp knock greeted them. Biting his lip, Waluigi slowly approached the door. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door just a bit; giving him enough of a view to see who was on the other side. His eyes widen in shock as he realized just who was standing there.

"What are _you_ doing here?!"

.-.-.-.

Looming ahead was a desolate hill where the creepiest manor that Mario had ever seen, waited for them. The manor was at least three stories in height, and just as wide with many rooms. Stone pillars stood over an old fashioned looking door, and victorian style balconies could be seen. And that's where the normality ended.

A stone wall with jagged metal surrounded the manor; above the iron gate was a pair of torches burning with eerie blue flames. What sent a chill down his spine, where the rows of graves that lined the front lawn. Drawing in a sharp breath, Mario reluctantly approached the manor. However, as he walked up the dirt path, he noticed a curious little shack that was at the edge of the property. Shaking his head, he ignored the odd sight and continued on. The stairs creaked under his weight, earning a slight grimace. It figures that the place would be falling apart (he was not fat, thank you very much). Grasping at the brass knob, Mario slowly turned it and walked inside.

Oh wow.

The outside of the home may have been falling apart, but that was not the case for the interior; the interior was in pristine condition. The foyer was quite spacious with a spiral staircase that led upstairs. What little furniture was there, held a simple sheet over it; and dust was everywhere. Hanging above, was a beautiful chandelier. Walking a bit further in, Mario continued his inspection. Besides the thick layers of dust, he could see an unusual amount of cobwebs among the shadows. Mario wasn't a fan of horror movies, but this was reminding him of the infamous cliche haunted houses. He wrinkled his nose, before sneezing violently.

Wait...

_Something isn't right here_ , Mario thought with a trace of unease as he looked around. Tensing, he realized that the house was quiet, perhaps a little too quiet. This silence felt unnatural, and it was as if someone or some _thing_ was watching him from the shadows. It wasn't until he was under the chandelier, that his unease turned to primal terror.

_Why does it feel like the floor is moving?_

Swallowing thickly, Mario looked down only for his eyes to widen in utter horror. Bubbling over his boots was a deadly looking black liquid. It hissed, dark wisps snapping angrily. Without warning, his right foot started to sink; earning a startled yelp from Mario, which was followed by a stumble.

Mio Dio...

Several wisps rose up and began to wrap around him, before pulling hard. Mario instinctively began to thrash, desperate to escape. Whatever this stuff was, it had an iron-like hold over him. 'I can't move!' He thought, fearfully.

Eh?

Turning his head slightly to what he assumed to be was a mirror; Mario was shocked to find his little brother peeking out from behind the mirror. Wait, how did Luigi get here (and why was he so blurry?)?! Luigi was watching him with wide, terrified eyes. Mario wished that he could reach out and comfort his brother, but deep down; knew that he could not. As he continued to sink into darkness, a sudden iciness gripped his very heart. As his vision darkened, Mario had but one last thought...

_I'm sorry Luigi._  
_I've failed you._

.-.-.-.

Wario, who kept glancing from his brother to Luigi; and swore that he saw something. Out of the corner of his eye, Wario saw that Luigi's left hand twitched and he wondered if his cousin was coming back. The light suddenly returned to Luigi's eyes, and at the same time, every single fragile item within the castle shattered with tremendous force.

Yikes!

"Mario..." Luigi whispered.

Huh?

Luigi looked up with wide blue eyes, tears trickling down. "It's Mario," He cried.

"He's gone!"


	4. Fratello Scomparso

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a surprising group, Luigi leaves for Boo Woods in an attempt to find his brother. But, why oh why, was he getting such a bad feeling about this mansion?

"Gone?" Wario repeated, blankly. "What do you mean by _gone_?!" Waluigi demanded, whirling around in anger. Luigi peered over Wario's shoulder, wiping away his tears as he stared at the newcomers with shock. Well, he sure wasn't expecting this! Waluigi gritted his teeth as he was shoved aside, allowing the newcomers to enter. Straightening himself up, Waluigi glared at them. They were five males and one female; but only three of them looked human.

The oldest human stood at a walloping height of six feet, with a muscular frame. His bright flaming hair was styled rather short, a broad face that was accented by his dark, green tinted skin; his eyes shone a liquid gold, and what was with all of that armor? Why Ganondorf of all people was here, Luigi got the feeling that he didn't want to know. Behind Ganondorf was a young teenage boy; roughly late teens. He was built like a swimmer, dirty blond hair that was a bit choppy, pale skin and almond shaped sapphire blue eyes. Small, blue hoops were seen against his pointed ears. He wore his usual green and white tunic, complete with hunting boots.

Link...

The lone female was quite lovely looking, appearing to be around the same age as Link. She was about the same height as Link, but with a curvy frame. Her auburn hair was partially tied back with braids framing her face, pale skin and cat-like stormy blue-gray eyes. Small, silver hoops could be seen from ears, and a thin golden crown with a single sapphire. Like Link, she had a delicate appearance and pointed ears.

Princess Zelda.

The last three were more along the lines of humanoid animals. To be more precise, a red fox, a blue raptor hybrid and a grey wolf. In other words, Fox McCloud, Falco Lombardi and Wolf O'Donnell. Only Fox and Falco wore military uniforms with a pilot's jacket; and Wolf wore what you would expect a mercenary to wear (although he also had on a pilot's jacket).

Why are you here, anyway?" Wario sounded annoyed, as he huffed. Fox rubbed the back of his head in a sheepish manner, his green eyes reflecting his embarrassment. "The hands sensed that something was wrong here," He said with a shrug. "So, here we are." Waluigi raised an eyebrow, giving them a blank look. "I can understand why you four are here," He said slowly. "But, why'd you bring them?" He asked, flatly as he gestured to Ganondorf and Wolf. Falco snorted, crossing his arms. "Not like we had much of a choice," He grumbled.

**_Somehow I'm not surprised._ **

Wario's eyes widen when he saw that Luigi was trying to stand; before hardening. "Oh no, you don't!" He scolded as he gently pushed his cousin back down. "You are in no shape to be moving." Waluigi smirked, his dark eyes mischievous. "Yeah cuz," He teased. "You know that Mario would have our heads if anything happened to ya." Luigi pouted as the others exchanged bewildered looks. "Wait," Fox looked at the trio with wide eyes. "You guys are related?" He gaped. Luigi rolled his eyes as he looked at his cousins, as the duo snorted. "Of course we're related!" Waluigi huffed. Looking at the trio a bit more closely, all six could see the similarities between them. "So, who's the oldest?" Fox continued, now that he could see that the three were related.

Wario smirked and held up a hand. "That would be me," He said gleefully. "I'm thirty, Mario is a year younger than me." Waluigi then took over. "I'm twenty-eight myself," He admitted. "And you...?" Ganondorf's rich voice trailed off as he looked at Luigi with a raised eyebrow. Luigi turned red as Wario and Waluigi snickered. "He's the baby of the family!" Wario teased. "He's only twenty-three," Waluigi piped up. This surprised the group, as they had no idea that Luigi was so young.

Luigi frowned as his legs refused to budge. How long had he been out of it, anyway? Looking up, he was surprised when Zelda knelt down to him; realizing that she was dressed like she was out on a hunt. Zelda ran a gloved hand; which was glowing a soft green, on his shoulder. Luigi blinked, and found his strength returning; and soon, he was able to move. "Thanks," He said softly as he slowly got to his feet. Zelda simply smiled and stood back. "Just out of curiosity," Wario said as Luigi turned his head slightly. "Why would you of all people enter a contest for a mansion?" Luigi stopped, looking at him with confusion.

"What contest?"

.-.-.-.

It was about an hour or so later that the odd group found themselves on a dirt path within a forest that was downright creepy. The aura of the forest was stifling to the point where Fox and Wolf were on the verge of going feral. The trio, on the other hand, were snickering loudly. Since pipe traveling only existed in this world, not many would be used to it. Still, it was rather funny to see their expressions. Who knew that someone like Ganondorf could do poleaxe? Covering his laughter, Luigi looked away; thankful that he was able to change his clothes into something much warmer.

"Is that it...?" Waluigi asked, his voice trailing off.

Hm?

Turning his head, and following Waluigi's gaze, the smile fell from Luigi's face. There, at the end of the path, on a desolate hill, was a mansion that could have come straight from a horror movie. Strangely enough, there was a small shack at the edge of the property. "Can we say, cliche?" Wario mumbled, noticing that only two rooms were lit up. This little oddity gave the effect of the house being alive, to say the least. Waluigi snorted, silently agreeing with his brother. Luigi felt like slapping his head as Fox and Link did something incredibly stupid. The two had the gall to bypass the iron gate, and actually walked right up to the front door. A teardrop appeared on the back of Luigi's head.

**_They can't be this dense!_**  
**_...can they?_**

Turning his head back to the others, that teardrop only grew bigger. Judging by the embarrassed looks on their faces, Luigi realized just what they were thinking. Oh boy, those two really were that dense. "Come on," Wario huffed. "We better make sure that nothing happens to them." Luigi frowned, gripping the flashlight that he had hidden in a pocket. Something about this place was unsettling, and it wasn't just because of the location. Unknown to Luigi, a pair of mismatched eyes was watching him. The owner gave a cruel smile, before disappearing with a cackle. "Soon little chaos," They whispered. "Soon."

Luigi shuddered.


	5. Fantasma o No?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having arrived at the mansion, Luigi is struck by a painful thought. His dream was no dream, but the real deal. With the help of a new friend, they manage to avoid a painful confrontation; all but Luigi, that is. And a secret that Luigi had been keeping, is finally revealed to his family.

Upon entering the run down foyer, both Wolf and Fox wrinkled their noses; the scent of dust and stale air was a bit overwhelming. Looking around, Luigi felt his heart sink; recognizing the area. So, his dream hadn't been a dream...but real. "Guess we should start looking around," Falco mused.

**_Guess so...wait!_ **

Snapping out from his thoughts, Luigi saw that Ganondorf was heading for a door that was across from the foyer. Panicking, he reached out and grabbed the dark man's right arm. Despite his frail appearance, Luigi was surprisingly strong. The moment that he felt his arm being grabbed, Ganondorf turned dangerous gold eyes on Luigi. Seeing this reaction, both Link and Zelda winced; knowing just how severe the man's temper was. Both were expecting Ganondorf to simply blast the poor man with dark energy.

Instead, Luigi shook his head and pointed at the door that Ganondorf had been about to open. They followed his gaze, and were surprised by what they had found. Without warning, thick wooden vines grew over the door; sprouting some nasty looking thorns. A dark purple energy shield flashed ominously.

How did-?

Realizing what could have happened, Ganondorf gave the young man the slightest of nods; before pulling back. Blinking owlishly, Link did his best not to stare. He had been fighting the dark king for who knows how long, and not once had he ever gotten the look that Luigi just did; a look of respect. A bit unnerved, Falco decided to check upstairs. Thankfully, there were no other traps. There were three doors, one at the end of each hall, and the third above the cursed door down below. Sadly, all three doors were locked tight.

Just great.

Suddenly getting a funny feeling, and upon ignoring everyone's grumbles, Luigi pulled out the flashlight from his jacket, switched it on; and aimed it upwards. Somehow, he wasn't surprised to see an orange mist swirling lazily around the chandelier. From what he could see, there was a large key within the mist. And when he saw that the mist was moving away from the light, Luigi got a most curious idea. Aiming the flashlight directly onto the mist, everyone jumped at a sudden and loud screech. The mist abruptly vanished, and the key hit the dusty rug with a soft clunk. Luigi knelt down and picked it up. The key was very old, and was made from either brass or copper.

Looking up, Luigi saw that Falco was still up on the second floor; then tossed the key in his direction. Falco stumbled a bit; cursing that his feathers made holding the key a bit trickier (the key nearly slipped from his grasp). "Try that," Luigi said, dryly as Falco nodded. The key didn't work on the doors at the end of the halls, but it did fit the larger door. Realizing this, the others followed Falco to the second floor.

A little uneasy by the sight of the key dissolving, Falco opened the door. The room beyond was rather dark, save for a faint purple light. This made seeing anything almost impossible; save for Falco, Fox and Wolf. Upon entering, Luigi felt a chill go down his spine. Without warning, the door slammed shut behind them; and unknown to the gang, a familiar set of wooden vines had grown over the door. "Ugh," Fox groaned, rubbing at his arms. "Why'd it get so cold all of a sudden?" Despite his fur, Fox was freezing his ass off. The temperature continued to drop, until a faint rattle could be heard.

A rattle that was followed by soft laughter.

_/"Oh little one,"/_ A girlish voice purred as Luigi looked around nervously. _/"Don't bother,"/_ A rough voice growled. _/"They can't hear us, only you can."/_ Luigi paled, swallowing thickly as he took a step back. _/"What shall we do with you, little one?"/_ The female voice wondered. _/"Should you share your foolish brother's fate?"/_ The male voice mocked, snickering softly.

What happened next, confused everyone.

Luigi felt icy fingers wrap firmly around his throat, tightening ever so slightly. As the grip continued to tightened; Luigi found that he was having trouble breathing. Moments later, he was thrown into the door, hitting with a sickening crack; the sharp thorns from the vines piercing his skin. Dazed and in pain, Luigi slumped; breathing heavily. Seeing their cousin down, the two brothers cursed softly and hurried over. Just as Wario placed a hand on Luigi's shoulder, he heard the startled yelp of one Fox McCloud. "What the hell is that?" The vulpine demanded.

What was...?  
Oh.

Blinking back the pain, Luigi struggled to sit up. He was aware of his two cousins standing above him, and as he was becoming more aware, he had heard Fox's yelp. Luigi's cloudy eyes turned towards where the others were, and he soon saw what had disturbed the vulpine pilot so badly. Hovering in front of them, was a strange orange mist in the shape of a cartoonish ghost. It's mouth was twisted into a maniac grin; yellow eyes glowing softly. Luigi frowned, his vision clearing as he realized what was setting him off. This toonish thing was no ghost, that he knew. But, what was it? And why did it look like a toon?

Just as it got ready to last out, an invisible force latched onto it. It screeched and started zipping about in a wild manner, and a little old man with a vacuum cleaner; being dragged behind it. Blinking owlishly at the sight, the gang watched as the ghost disappeared through a wall; sending the poor man tumbling into said wall. "Ow," The man groaned, rubbing at his head. He was an odd one, to say the least. He was almost completely bald, save for a single white wisp of hair that appeared to have been electrified, and beady dark eyes behind large coke bottle glasses. He even wore a white lab coat over a brown business suit. Even though he had never met the man before, Luigi felt as if he knew him.

How was that possible?

"I sure take a lot of tumbles in this job," He continued, shaking his head. He slowly stood up, wincing as his back ached from the sudden movement. "I'm getting too old for this ghost hunting business." As if realizing that he wasn't alone, the man turned red at the sight of the unusual group.

"Heh, heh..."

"Who are you?" Waluigi demanded, and rudely at that. He winced as Luigi slapped him for his rudeness. The man just waved it off, he wasn't offended; just amused. "I'm Professor Elvin Gadd," He introduced himself, giving a little bow. "And I've been studying ghosts here since I was a young man." He raised an eyebrow, looking at them with curiosity. "What are you feller's doing here?" Odd, he had a thick accent that hadn't been there; and his question had them looking away, some in embarrassment. With Waluigi's help, Luigi slowly got to his feet, pulling out the ominous latter and handed it over to Gadd.

Gadd read it, his brows furrowing a bit; before sighing. "I hate to break it you," He said slowly, lowering the letter to look at them. "But this mansion only appeared a few days ago." His eyes scanned the dimly lit room, before landing on them once more. "And I swear that this house has more ghosts with each day."

Eh?

Four of those toonish ghosts suddenly appeared; screeching loudly. "Perhaps we should continue this in my lab?" Gadd suggested, dryly.

.-.-.-.

The little shack that they had seen earlier, had turned out to be Gadd's lab. It wasn't until they were inside that Wolf and Fox picked up on a familiar scent. It was the metallic odor of fresh blood; but who was injured? At the same time, Wario was giving his cousin a stern look. Gritting his teeth, a frustrated Wario turned to Gadd. "Do you have a first-aid kit?" Gadd raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "What's going on?" Falco asked as the old man brought out the kit. Wario ignored him and turned back to Luigi; who was beginning to look nervous.

Very nervous.

"Shirt. Off. Now."

Luigi winced at the sharp, short words. When Wario got like that, he was not just angry; he was downright pissed. With heavy reluctance, Luigi took off his jacket, followed by his green shirt. Wario scowled, and Waluigi frowned. Underneath his shirt, Luigi was surprisingly muscular. But, that was not what got his cousin's attention. Blood was steadily dripping down Luigi's back; several deep puncture marks marring the skin. Upset, the two tended to his back; and Fox got a curious thought. "Were those real ghosts?" He asked Gadd. Before Gadd could answer him, everyone heard Luigi grumble; and quite loudly at that.

"Didn't look like any ghosts that I've ever seen." Everyone stiffened, before slowly turning to Luigi. Luigi felt his cheeks heat up as he realized that everyone had heard his admission. Gadd stared at him, before realization dawned on him; and he blurted out his shock.

"You're a medium!"

Whoops.


	6. Inziando

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, a secret that Luigi had been keeping for so long, is finally out; all thanks to Professor Gadd. But, something that the old man says sends Luigi into shock.

{Warning, this may be a bit short}

.-.-.-.

"What's a medium?" Link asked curiously, tilting his head. The word was an unfamiliar term, so he was quite curious as to what it meant. Gadd blinked owlishly, before turning a slight pink out of embarrassment; scratching a cheek as he did so. "Ah well," Gadd said with a nervous laugh. "Mediumship is a psychic ability," He explained as Luigi's blue eyes focused on him. "It's referred to someone who can see and communicate with the dead." Raising an eyebrow, the two brothers exchanged looks before looking at their cousin.

"That would explain things," Wario said dryly as Waluigi snorted, silently agreeing. Luigi scowled, blue eyes reflecting his annoyance. Opening the kit, Wario tended to Luigi's wounds, before stilling. His dark eyes zeroed in on a certain mark; dread filling him at the sight. "Luigi," He said slowly, his voice a bit uneasy. "Where did you get?" Waluigi turned curious eyes on his brother. "What are you talking about?" Wario's dark eyes narrowed, frowning. "I'm talking about the scar and bruise on Luigi's neck!" He hissed, voice dark.

"WHAT?!"

"What are you guys harping on about now?" Falco asked, grumbling his words. Waluigi ignored him, and after glaring at his cousin, gently but firmly turned Luigi's head to the side; exposing the younger man's neck.

Oh no...

Curiosity growing, the others turned and focused on Luigi. There, just inches under his right ear and going at a diagonal angle, was a rather angry red slash. There was also a thin, dark purple ring circling his throat. Upon seeing just how ingrained the two were, it was clear that they had been fatal. Question was, how was he still alive?

Pulling away, Luigi gritted his teeth and looked away with a huff. Sighing, Wario patched up Luigi's back; knowing that it was no use in talking with Luigi. Once he got like this, he would not talk at all. Once Wario was done and closing up the kit, Luigi grabbed his shirt and slipped it back on; still refusing to meet their eyes. Shaking off his unease, Falco turned to Gadd; who was looking a bit nervous. "Did anyone," He strained those words. "come through here, besides us?" Gadd looked thoughtful, tapping his chin. "I did see someone wearing a similar hat," He glanced at the three; seeing their marked hats. "He sure seemed to be in a hurry, though." The old man frowned slightly, before shaking his head. "Unfortunately, he never came out."

Not exactly reassuring...

"Then," Wario said grimly. "Mario's still in there." Luigi's blue eyes narrowed; flashing ominously. Gadd looked the odd group over with a critical gaze, as if realizing something. "I'm afraid that I can't allow any of you to go back in."

**_Not a wise move, professor._ **

Growling softly, Luigi clenched his fists. And without warning, Wario and Waluigi jerked back with pained yelps. The two couldn't believe it, their cousin literally just shocked them! They could even see small bolts of green energy cackling around Luigi's fists. Something was happening to their little cousin, and they were frightened by it. Gadd stared at Luigi for the longest, before finally speaking. "Fine," He grumbled. "If you're going to go back in, you'll need the Poltergust." Gadd suddenly smirked. "So, I'll train you."

Wait...  
What?


	7. Spiriti Bizzeffe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Returning to the mansion, Luigi is accompanied by three of the dimensional travelers. During their search, something seems to overcome Luigi, and he is slowly changing before their very eyes...

Everyone was staring at Gadd in confusion. "You," Wario said slowly, his voice flat. "Are going to train Luigi using what?" Gadd's smile grew. "The Poltergust," He began. "Is a device that I created in order to capture ghosts." Waluigi frowned, something was bugging him. "This Poltergust wouldn't happen to be that jumped up vacuum cleaner, would it?" He asked, sounding skeptic. Gadd huffed, looking annoyed by Waluigi's words. But, it was obvious that Waluigi was correct about his observations. The Poltergust was indeed, in Waluigi's words, the jumped up cleaner; whatever that was. The old man stopped, before he was inspecting Luigi carefully. "May I see that flashlight of yours?"

Huh?

Blinking owlishly, Luigi reluctantly drew out the flashlight that he had brought, and handed it over to the man. Why did Gadd ask for his flashlight? And what was he going to do with it, anyway? After all, flashlights weren't that easy to come by in this world. Gadd wandered over to his workbench, and started fiddling around with the flashlight. The cousins exchanged confused looks, the sounds of metal clanging on metal, reaching their ears. The others were quiet, the recent ominous words left them weary. After awhile, the metal clanking ceased, and Gadd returned with a now modified flashlight.

Oh?

The flashlight was now attached to a thin, but sturdy looking silver band. A pleased Gadd handed it over to a curious Luigi. "You’ll be needing both hands free in order to properly use the Poltergust." Still curious, Luigi took it back. "Now, for your training."

Training?  
Oh boy.

.-.-.-.

**_Why me?_ **

Luigi was frowning as he stood in a small, semi-empty room. The room matched most of Gadd's shack, wooden walls and dirt floors. However, there was a blackboard in one corner, and odd designs woven into the walls. Not to mention what looked like the beginning process of building in wells; but why would one man need five of them? Luigi stood in the middle of the numerous wells, the light band was around his forehead; having forgone his hat. The odd looking vacuum cleaner was strapped to his back, and Luigi felt embarrassed for having to wear such a thing. Before entering the room, Gadd had handed over a small device; about the size of a walkie-talkie, but with a screen. He called it a 'GameBoy Horror'. Funny, that sounded almost like a game system from Earth…

The GBH cackled as it came on, and Luigi found Gadd on the other end. Despite the funny name, this would come in handy. _"No matter how strong your brother is,"_ Gadd said softly, sending a chill through the younger male. _"There's no sure way to go against a ghost."_ The old man sighed. _"Ghosts are mysterious beings, and they're not easy to capture."_ Without warning, the lights turned off, causing Luigi to jump. He instinctively reached up and switched the flashlight on, allowing a soft light to illuminate his surroundings. Wait, Gadd was still talking, wasn't he? Looking back at the tiny glowing screen, Luigi sweatdropped.

Whoops.

_"Now, the only way to capture these ghosts is to stun them."_ Luigi blinked, and thought he heard his cousins (or was that one of the others?) grumble. _"That's what the flashlight is for,"_ Gadd continued, getting Luigi's attention. Oh, so that’s why Gadd wanted his flashlight. _"Once their hearts are exposed, you can use the Poltergust to suck them back up."_

Oh.

As if sensing something, Luigi turned and was surprised when of the so-called wells lit up; and one of those silly toonish ghosts rose up. The moment Luigi turned to face it, the light landed on it and the 'ghost' froze. To Luigi’s surprise, a toonish red-pink heart appeared within the mist…followed by a number.

Okay…

Luigi's hands reached for the nozzle of the Poltergust, and somehow, a whirling wind latched onto the toonish ghost. It screeched, trying to pull back; but the Poltergust was stronger than it. And within moments, the ghost had been pulled into the vacuum cleaner.

Huh, that was easy.

**_Maybe a little_** too **_easy._**

It went on like this for awhile, and from the lab; the others stared in shock. Luigi's face was carefully blank as each toonish ghost was pulled into the Poltergust. "He's not even phased by this," Falco murmured, a bit worried for the younger male. There was definitely a lot more to Luigi than he was letting on, and that worried everyone.

And for good reason.

.-.-.-.

It was about an hour later when Luigi returned to the lab; he was a bit paler than normal. Gadd was impressed with the young man. He had caught every ghost, and was a natural; much better than Gadd had ever been. "Before you leave," Gadd said after giving the tired male a drink. "There's something that I need to show you."

Oh?

.-.-.-.

Hm, Gadd's shack was a lot bigger on the inside. The group was lead to a much larger and more intricately designed room. The room was carved from stone, with wooden floors, two angelic statues and empty frames lining the walls.

Wait a minute…  
Empty frames?

"What's with the empty frames?" Wario asked curiously. Gadd flushed as everyone turned to him, and he scratched a cheek in embarrassment. "Heh, heh," He cackled nervously. "When I was a young man, I came across certain types of ghosts, and well…" Gadd trailed off, his face red. "I, uh, decided to turn them into lovely paintings."

"You did what?!"

Hearing the enraged voice, Wario and Waluigi flinched. It was rare for their cousin to get mad, and when Luigi did get mad, it was best to stay out of his way. Taking their chances, the two looked at their cousin and hastily inched away. Luigi's eyes bore a thin, pale gray ring; and he looked pissed. Green energy was cackling dangerously around his clenched fists.

Oh boy.

"You mean to tell me," Luigi growled. "That all of that rage and hatred, is because of you?!" He snarled, and for a moment, the ring seemed to expand. "And they take their anger out on anyone who trespasses," He continued, gritting his teeth. "No wonder they took Mario." Luigi glared at the cowering old man. "It's all because of you!"

Ouch.

Wario and Waluigi hastily stepped forward, and both grabbed onto their enraged cousin. "Calm down, cuz," Waluigi hissed. "It's obvious that these…portrait ghosts took Mario," Wario growled. "We'll help you get him back," Wario assured his enraged cousin.

"Not quite."

Eh?

Gadd, who had spoken, looked guilty. "The ghosts here are different from what you are probably used too," He said softly. "You can't do much against them, not without the Poltergust anyway." Wario and Waluigi were angry about the old man's insistence of them not being able to help their cousin. Wario and Waluigi may not be able to help Luigi, but what about the others? The two looked over to the others, wondering if one of them could keep their cousin safe. Fox, Falco and Wolf were out, as their guns would have no effect on these ghosts. It was Zelda, who took a step forward, her blue-gray eyes meeting Gadd's dark ones. "We'll help Luigi," She gestured to herself, Link and Ganondorf. Their magic alone should help out against the spirits.

Hopefully.

.-.-.-.

The four unexpected companions re-entered the mansion, leaving behind Gadd and the others. Luigi adjusted the Poltergust, a sense of dread swept over him. Taking a quick look at his companions, Luigi saw that they too, felt a similar sense of dread. Seeing as every door, but one, was locked; there was no choice about where to go.

Damn.

.-.-.-.

Wearily opening the door, the four slowly entered the lone room. The temperatures were still quite low, and for the first time; they noticed the candelabras scattered about the room, for some of them sported an eerie purple flame. Switching the light on, Luigi looked around with a suspicious gaze. The room was lined with warm brown wallpaper and mahogany wood, and even dark cherry wooden floors. There were two tables; one circular and one rectangular, a china hutch filled with priceless china, a bookshelf lined with rare and priceless artifacts, the creepy paintings that shook, and dark red curtains covered the windows.

Hm…  
Wait… 

**_What was that?_ **

Something was nagging at Luigi's mind, and his growing agitation was sighted by the others. Without warning, the lit candles were blown out, plunging the room into darkness. "Now what?" Link grumbled, one hand hovering nervously over his sword. Zelda's hands kept going for her own weapon, something that Luigi was just now noticing; which were a handcrafted bow and a sheathed sword. Even Ganondorf's hand kept moving to his own sword. As if sensing something, Luigi snapped the Poltergust out and whirled around; the light landing on a toonish orange ghost. The red-pink heart immediately appeared, and Luigi planted himself; standing firm as the ghost screeched in anger. The force of the vacuum cleaner had latched onto it, and it struggled with great fury; attempting to drag the man around.

The ghost was no match against Luigi's determination. The trio gaped as Luigi drew the thrashing ghost into the Poltergust. How on earth did he know that thing was even there? This was worrying, as both Ganondorf and Link were excellent at sensing approaching foes. Moments later, the ghost was pulled into the Poltergust. Luigi inwardly smirked, his eyes gleaming slightly as he lowered the hose. Before the trio could react, two more orange ghosts appeared with a screech. The trio could only stare as Luigi continued to pull the ghosts into the Poltergust, but wait -- something was wrong.

As more ghosts were pulled into the Poltergust, Luigi was beginning to look a bit pale; even his breathing was starting to become harsher. As the last ghost was pulled in, the lights abruptly came on; illuminating the room with a soft, warm glow. At the same time, an emerald green-and-golden chest appeared in front of the lone shelf; sparkling under the soft lights.

"Where did that come from?"

**_Who knows?_ **

Feeling drained, Luigi tiredly approached the chest; carefully opening it. The only thing that was inside, was a single golden key. A sudden beeping from Luigi's pocket caught their attention, and Luigi pulled out the GBH. To everyone's amazement, reflecting back was a full map of the house. Currently, the map was reflecting the floorplan of the floor that they were currently on. Even more amazing, was the flashing key over a door that was in the far upper corner of the room.

Interesting.

Blinking owlishly, Luigi stared as the Poltergust suddenly activated on its own. The hose lifted itself up, aimed at the chandelier, before it gave a gentle tug. To everyone's amazement, bills fluttered down; being drawn into the Poltergust. It then aimed itself at the china hutch and the shelf; with more bills fluttering out and even a gold bar or two. After pulling it all in, the Poltergust deactivated; the hose sliding in place.

Okay…

"Try this on that door," Luigi said slowly, after that awkward moment; holding the key out. Looking from the key to the door that they hadn’t noticed before, Zelda carefully took the key. She hesitantly inserted the key into the lock. There was a soft click as the door unlocked itself, before the key dissolved. "It's not like anything bad will happen, right?" Link asked, his soft voice reflecting his unease.

**_Famous last words._ **

.-.-.-.

**CRASH**

The group had to duck as a large plant was thrown in their direction. Again, the room was plunged into darkness, and only Luigi's flashlight provided their limited source. The orange ghost was back again, but this time; they had a companion. This new ghost was a bright shade of green, bulkier and bigger than the orange ghost, and it was…eating a banana? "Che cosa è con tutti questi fantasmi?!" Luigi growled, unconsciously slipping into Italian as he barely avoided the banana peel that the green ghost had dropped. Hearing a soft cackle from a table, Luigi groaned.

**_Perché io?_ **

.-.-.-.

"Wah!"

Apparently, there was a small balcony that had been set up outside the wardrobe room. Surprisingly enough, there was a little being crying their eyes out; and it was someone that Luigi recognized. "Toad?"

"Huh?"

The little Toad, who was sporting a yellow vest and mushroom cap, looked up with wide dark eyes. "L-Luigi?" He stuttered, before brightening as the young man gave a slight smile. "Wow, boy am I glad you're here!" Luigi tilted his head, his face carefully blank, but he was suspicious. The Toads were among the many who had ridiculed him over the years. So why was Yellow so happy to see him?

**_Why am I getting a bad feeling about this?_ **

.-.-.-.

**_I hate being right._ **

Luigi was silent as they walked out to the main hallway. It would seem that Princess Peach had discovered that his brother was missing. In return, she had sent some Toads to Mario's last location; hence this house. What was that girl thinking? The Toads were even more timid than he was; and that was saying something.

**_Where are you, Mario?_ **

.-.-.-.

The main hallway was set up much like the rooms that they had been in. Funnily enough, there were little pink and blue mice spirits darting along the floors. Thankfully, these spirits were harmless and left the group alone. As they walked by a door, Luigi stopped, catching their attention. "Luigi," Zelda began softly, realizing that the young man had stopped in mid strife. He was looking at a door that they had bypassed, his blue eyes narrowed. "Is everything okay?" She was a bit hurt when he ignored her. Instead, Luigi reached out for the brass knob and turned it. Somehow, the door wasn’t locked and it easily opened.

Behind the door was a rather cozy looking study. With the light; they saw that the walls were lined with shelf after shelf, full of all sorts of books, a desk was set up off to their right, a fireplace with a fire already burning, a ship-in-a-bottle was sitting on the fireplace mantle, and a cozy looking red chair sat in front of the fire.

That's where things got strange.

There was a red book hovering in the chair, and several books were flying through the air; constantly moving from shelf to shelf. "We're seeing things," Zelda said weakly. "Maybe it's one of those portrait ghosts?" Link suggested, but he sounded doubtful. Luigi's eyes scanned the room, before landing on the chair. He blinked, surprised when the shimmering form of a man appeared on it. The man looked to be in his late twenties to early thirties with shocking orange hair, a slightly bushy mustache and greenish yellow eyes. He was wearing a blue bathrobe over his nightclothes. The strange man was holding the red book, his head carefully propped up by a hand. Taking a quick look at his companions, Luigi realized that they couldn't see the man, only he could. Then that meant that this man was a true spirit, not like those silly toonish ones.

**BEEP*BEEP**

Startled, Luigi was snapped out of his thoughts as the GBH beeped. Taking it out of his pocket, he wasn't surprised to see Gadd's face staring back. _"Be careful,"_ He warned. _"The portrait ghosts are nothing like the ones that you've been dealing with."_ Luigi frowned, still peeved with the old man for his antics. "You need to find a way to expose their heart before you can capture them." With that having been said, Gadd ended the connection.

**/"Please,"/** The man snipped, his voice low and rich, and yet it held an echo. Luigi turned, surprised when the ghostly man's greenish eyes bore into his blue ones. **/"As if we'll go back to those silly paintings."/** Luigi's frown deepened, and for a moment, green energy cackled around his clenched fists; as he struggled to keep his temper in check. **/"It would be wise of you to leave,"/** The man continued. **/"And best forget about your brother while you're at it."/**

The temperatures seemed to fluctuate between freezing and boiling as Luigi's rage grew, and the trio wisely took a step back. Luigi's head lowered slightly, his bangs shadowing his eyes as he appeared to stagger. The green energy that had been cackling, suddenly flared; catching the trio's attention. Moments later, a dark green lightning bolt struck the chair; and only Luigi had the privilege to witness what happened next. The man let out an angry shriek, his spiritual form flickering violently. He was left panting, his form partially burned from the sudden electrocution. **/"I…I actually felt that,"/** He growled, glaring at the silent male, furious that Luigi had actually harmed him.

**/"You…how dare you?!"/** The man roared. Luigi slowly lifted his head, revealing glassy gray-green eyes. There was a shadow within that empty gaze, and the man could see a dark mist hovering around the man. Despite being dead, something about the mortal was sending his instincts into overdrive. As his greenish yellow eyes turned a darker shade, a cruel smile crossed Luigi's lips; and no wonder. A dark purple heart appeared within the man's chest, followed by the number one hundred flashing. The hose of the Poltergust was in his hands, and the machine activated the second it latched onto the enraged ghost. The trio could only stare as Luigi was pulled around by seemingly nothing, before Gadd's earlier words came back to haunt them.

Luigi was a medium.

"Is he being dragged by something that we can't see?" Link asked, tilting his head. "It would appear to be a true spirit," Ganondorf mused, his deep voice like silk. That would explain why they couldn't see anything but the toonish ones. The gray was beginning to leave Luigi's eyes as the numbers rapidly dwindled to the single digits. Before he was pulled in, the man gave one last violent tug and was gleeful when the mortal hit one of the bookshelves with a sickening crack; the trio wincing at the sound. Luigi hit the shelf with a pained groan, slumping as a sharp pain shot up his spine. Snapping out of her thoughts, Zelda hurried over running a glowing hand over the dazed man. She grimaced as her healing magic registered the possible injuries. The only serious thing was a bruised spine, Luigi was lucky that he hadn't broken it; he would be sore for awhile, though.

Eh?

Seeing that Luigi was still dazed from the blow, Zelda carefully pulled out the GBH from his pocket; after realizing that it was beeping. Believing that the map would be there or Gadd, Zelda was pleasantly surprised to find what appeared to be a profile…a profile on a spirit.

(…)

**Name:** Neville  
**Title:** The Bookish Father  
**Bio:** Neville spends his afterlife reading all of the books he missed while living  
**Room:** Study  
**Life:** 100

(…)

_I wonder if this man was the one dragging Luigi around_ , Zelda wondered. Link carefully helped the dazed man up, being mindful of his bruised spine. Looking back to the GBH, Zelda saw that the profile had disappeared, having been replaced with the map once more. The map showed that the room next to them, had a flashing key over it. At the same time, a green chest appeared by the chair. _And that must have the key to this new room_ , Zelda mused as Ganondorf withdrew a similar golden key from the chest. She then deactivated the GBH, before turning to Luigi. "You alright?" Link asked softly, as the male twitched slightly before he gave a reluctant nod.

Somehow, the trio doubted that.

.-.-.-.

**_What's happening to me…?_ **

Luigi felt himself drifting in and out of consciousness. He could feel himself moving, but his body felt heavy, and even his senses were muddled. Luigi remembered seeing the spirit of the man, and his hurtful words which had struck him rather hard; then nothing. During this time, Luigi was left with his disturbing thoughts about the man's ominous words.

Should he really give up on Mario?

No…

**_I can't give up on my brother_** , Luigi thought darkly. 

**_Mario wouldn't give up on me…_**  
**_…would he?_**

Thoughts growing darker, Luigi shivered as the temperatures began to drop. He rubbed at his arms, trying to bring back the warmth, if anything, he was getting colder. **"You can't stay out of trouble, can you?"**

Huh? 

.-.-.-.

As the remnant of the screeching baby was pulled in, Luigi abruptly reappeared in the nursery; shocking the trio, and no wonder. After leaving the bedroom behind, a new door had become unlocked; revealing a dusty and darkened nursery. Of course, they couldn't see a thing, but they did hear the faint cry of a baby. A seemingly dazed Luigi had focused on the lone crib, ignoring the angry cries as the others winced from the furious howls. Clasping his ears, Link accidentally knocked into a rocking horse, and like that, the cries were cut off. But, not before Luigi vanished before their very eyes.

Oh shit.

It was a painful several minutes as the cries returned, but the cries held a faint yelp. "Where's Luigi?" Zelda demanded, looking around frantically. The nursery was rather small, so there really wasn't anyplace for Luigi to disappear. After one last shriek, Luigi was back, standing by the crib; his head low as he sheathed the Poltergust once more.

"Luigi?"

The young man shook his head, as if trying to clear away something. Luigi reached up to rub at his temples, which were throbbing like crazy. He finally looked up with semi-glazed blue eyes. The confusion shone in his eyes, as he looked around. He remembered being in the study, but after that, everything went dark.

**/"Nighty night, little light…"/**

Luigi's blue eyes suddenly widen, as a soft voice whispered in his mind. His temples burned as a sharp pain went through his chest; it felt like he was on fire. Hearing their confusion, Luigi looked up with an almost pleading gaze, before his eyes rolled back and he collapsed into blissful darkness.


	8. Sogni o Ricordi?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite being unconscious, Luigi has some very interesting dreams. But are these really dreams or a possible memory of what has yet to come...?

**_This can't be right..._ **

_Luigi was silent, as his blue eyes absentmindedly scanned his surroundings. The last thing he remembered was seeing the angry green eyes of a ghost, before a haze had settled in his mind. This was no longer that creepy mansion, but a lab that was not familiar in anyway._

**_Why can't I move?_ **

_Luigi felt himself being locked into position, and yet, his eyes were still capable of movement. His eyes traveled to his left, only to see Mario standing there. His eyes narrowed slightly, seeing a much tinier version of his brother clinging to the older male's back. It was at that precise moment when he felt a slight pressure against his back; and his blue eyes met the curious blue orbs of a tinier version of himself._

**_A...baby?_ **

_The baby seemed amused by his confusion, and simply smiled before gesturing to the floor. Understanding what the baby wanted, Luigi knelt down slightly, allowing the baby to crawl off; and he saw Mario doing the same._

_Hm?_

_The two brothers; and apparently their younger selves, were surprised when a young man walked out from behind a door that they had failed to notice. The man was quite short with wispy brown hair, and beady eyes behind a pair of cokebottle framed glasses. He had a white lab coat over his brown business suit._

_It can't be…_  
_…can it?_

**_Professor Gadd?_ **

_Luigi was shocked by the sight of a much younger version of Elvin Gadd. Could he and Mario somehow be in the past? How was that even possible? Time travel doesn't even exist! Gadd was muttering to himself as he paced back and forth, jotting something down on a clipboard. The two babies toddled up to the man, when baby Mario cooed and Gadd looked up; startled by the noise. The man looked around wildly, before his gaze settled on the brothers, and he turned red. "Oh wow," He murmured, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "I was so caught up in my research that I didn't see you." Mario and Luigi exchanged looks, but focused on Gadd once more. "My name's Elvin Gadd, and I'm studying the Thwomps history here in these mountains," Gadd continued._

**_Thwomps...?_**  
**_Whatever happened to his ghost research?_**

_"I'm a bit low on snacks," Gadd said sheepishly as he placed his clipboard down on a table. "But, feel free to help yourselves," He said cheerfully. As if realizing something, Gadd focused a bit more on the brothers, noticing their tense forms and the agitation that was clear within their eyes. Something must have happened before they showed up at his labs, but what could it be? "What's gotten you so upset?" Gadd asked, his voice a lit with curiosity. Mario sighed, and took a step forward. "The nearby volcanoes erupted," He said in a quiet, but grim tone. Gadd blinked, as if unsure on how to react._

_"What do you mean that the volcano erupted?"_

_Before Mario could explains things further, everyone jumped when a flaming Thwomp came crashing down on the lab. The collision sent wooden and metal shrapnel alike, flying everywhere. The two brothers jumped out of the way, avoiding the falling shrapnel as the babies hid under a table, and Gadd jumped about a foot in the air. "No!" Gadd cried, his heart racing with fear as flaming wisps drifted off. He panicked when some of the more fragile equipment abruptly caught fire. "All my research!" Gadd looked over to where the Thwomp had landed, and winced when he realized that it had landed on some very delicate and rather expensive equipment. He then saw that one of the water pipes; which had been near the equipment; had burst open, allowing water to pour out._

_Not good._

_During his panicking state, baby Mario walked up to the pouring water; and baby Luigi was right behind him with his little hammer. Gadd could only stare as the baby began to swallow a lot of water, and his tummy swelled slightly. Even stranger, when the baby waddled over to some burning equipment, his twin followed and bopped him on the head, only for the water to be spat out; dousing the flames._

_What if --?_

_Now, it was Mario and Luigi's turn to stare, stunned when a rather large torrent of water (and where'd that come from?) began to pour directly on the still burning Thwomp. The force of the rushing water was also dousing out the remaining fire._

**_What just happened?_ **

_The babies giggled, before toddling back to their older counterparts; who simply knelt back down, allowing the babies to climb onto their backs once more. Gadd just shook his head, before looking at his ruined lab with a sigh. "Are you going to be okay?" Mario asked, his voice soft. "Don't worry boys," He assured them. "From what I've heard, there's an affordable lab at the edge of Boo Woods," Gadd explained. "I think I'll relocate there for the time being." The man smiled, looking oddly gleeful. "I've been dying to do some paranormal research."_

**_That explains things._ **

_As the brothers got ready to leave, it was Gadd who called out to them. The brothers turned their heads, seeing the man packing up what was left of his things, when Gadd spoke; his voice held an odd tone to it._

_"I'll be seeing you boys soon."_

.-.-.-.

**_So this is Star Hill..._ **

_Star Hill was an interesting place, so to speak. It seemed to be in a permanent state of evening, with crystallized trees and a sparkling blue ground. Every now and then, they would bypass large crystallized star-shaped pillars._

_Eh?_

_The partially formed Cobalt Star hovered before the brothers, and Luigi felt a chill go down his spine as it began to speak to them; revealing a 'spirit' was inside the artifact. His unease growing, he unconsciously tuned it out; only coming around as the artifact returned to the AI suitcase (Stuffwell) that the older Gadd had sent with them. "So," Stuffwell said grimly. "It's as we feared, Princess Shroob was the one to shatter the Cobalt Star." He sighed. "We do not have much time," He continued. "We must find the remaining star shards, before it's too late." The AI blinked, before realizing something. "By the way," He murmured, his voice disturbed. "Why is baby Luigi crying?"_

_Huh?_

_Luigi looked down, surprised to see that his young self, was indeed crying. The baby was wailing, his cries reflecting his genuine fear. "Did he sense something from the spirit that we could not?" Stuffwell asked curiously, twitching as the baby's cries got louder. The AI was startled when Luigi knelt down and gently took the crying toddler, before whispering soothing words to the baby. Mario smiled, shaking his head; knowing that this was all Luigi. The baby stopped crying, slowly calming down by the soothing voice. Luigi looked down with a soft smile._

**_"Feeling better?"_ **

_The baby wiped his eyes, nodding with a sniffling hiccup. “How did you get him to stop crying?” Stuffwell asked curiously, as baby Luigi crawled back onto Luigi’s shoulders. Mario and Luigi exchanged smiles, before shaking their heads. Stuffwell pouted, before his form shrank and rejoined with the brothers._

_(…)_

_A few hours later, a pair of bruised and exhausted brothers finally stumbled onto the gate that was protected by an impressive looking star shine. The men knelt down, allowing their sleepy younger selves to stumble onto the ground. This was ridiculous, how could there have been so many monsters lurking in such a peaceful place?! Stuffwell landed gently, looking grim, and yet worried for the brothers. "So this is the gate that the Cobalt Star spoke about." He glanced at the brothers, noting that Luigi was looking fairly bad; growing paler by the moment._

_Without warning, the gate spoke._

_"What is it that you seek in this sanctified place?" The gate growled, after sporting a pair of eyes and a mouth; much to their shock. "Beyond this gate lies the sacred realms of the stars," The spirit continued. "Those who are unworthy will never be allowed to enter." Still drained, the brothers exchanged uneasy looks._

**_What did it mean by 'unworthy'?_ **

_Luigi was getting a bad feeling about the gate’s ominous words; a chill going down his spine as a ghostly laugh echoed within his mind. The gate abruptly focused on the nervous brothers, before speaking once more. "Stand before me, and I shall see if you are worthy or not."_

_Not good._

_Mario hesitantly stepped forward, allowing those empty black eyes to focus on him. And he swore, that those eyes were staring into his very soul. It was an uncomfortable sensation, to say the least. The gate hummed. "Hm, your soul is true and courageous," They mused. "You hold a great deal of love for your brother." The gate sighed, before a slight smile graced their lips. "You are indeed worthy." Mario sighed, placing a hand over his beating heart, relieved by the admission._

_"Now, for your brother."_

_Grimacing slightly, Luigi reluctantly stood before the gate; feeling something stir within his very soul. This feeling, it was dark and angry; and yet, it felt familiar at the same time. Unfortunately, the gate sensed this and its black eyes flared with rage; causing Luigi to take a step back. "No!" The gate snapped, their furious eyes met Luigi's blue orbs; and if anything, this made the spirit even angrier. "This one will never be worthy!" Mario's eyes narrowed, and even the babies were beginning to look angry._

_"There is far too much darkness in him!"_

.-.-.-.

**_What's going on?_ **

_Luigi looked around the dark abyss; very, very nervous. He was no longer on Star Hill, not to mention he was alone once more. There was but a single light, that hovered before him. This, however, was not doing him much good._

**/"Not so fast, little one."/**

_Luigi blinked owlishly, before tensing slightly. Oh, he may not be as brave as his brother; but there was one thing that he was good at, and that was being a survivor. The voice was very familiar, and there was a strange tone to it; as if two people were speaking at the same time._ **_"Who are you?"_** _He called, his voice sharp; blue eyes narrowed from suspicions._

_A soft laugh._

**/"Nice try,"/** _The voice purred._ **/"But, you're not ready."/** _Luigi stumbled slightly, his vision swimming as his head shook from dizziness. He could feel his body weakening as the same voice cooed in his mind, and Luigi slumped, but not before a pair of strong arms caught him; cradling him with surprising gentleness. Luigi struggled to look up, only to meet a pair of pale gray eyes; the gray was so pale, that it bordered on being white._

**/"Yet, but you will be."/**


	9. Risveglio forzato

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luigi wakes up, surprised to find that he was back in Gadd's shack. Looks like there's more to being a medium than what anyone knew. And who was possessing Luigi?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sadly, this is more of a filler than anything else.

Hmm…mmm…

Luigi groaned softly, slowly coming to painful consciousness. His head throbbed, as it felt like it would explode from the onslaught of pain; a migraine, perhaps? Turning his head slightly, Luigi shakily lifted a hand to shield his eyes as they fluttered; revealing dull blue eyes.

**_What…happened?_ **

"Oh! You're awake!"  
…huh?

Turning his head in the direction of the soft voice, Luigi found that it was Zelda, who had spoken. Somehow, he had gotten back to Gadd's lab, and was laying down on a cot. His eyes traveled slightly, and inwardly winced when he saw his cousins sitting nearby; having fallen asleep, the early signs of stress were becoming visible around their eyes.

Oh boy.

Zelda approached him, before placing a cool hand on his forehead; it felt nice, actually. "Your fever has gone down," She sighed, a slight smile gracing her features as she pulled her hand back. "That's good." Despite the painful migraine, he still felt drained and weak; and he still didn't know what had happened. "You gave us quite the scare, little one." Ganondorf's smooth voice came from somewhere up ahead, and the king of evil soon came into view. Luigi struggled to sit up, only to cringe as his head exploded once more and his body protested from the sudden movement. 

"Luigi," The young man looked up, startled to find that it was Wolf, who had spoken. "What happened back in the mansion?" Seeing the confused look in the younger man's eyes, Wolf inwardly frowned, rubbing the bridge of his muzzle. Somehow, he wasn’t surprised that Luigi didn't remember. If it was what he believed it to be, then Wolf wouldn't blame the man for what happened. "From my deductions," This came from Gadd, who was leaning over his little table, a slight frown gracing his lips. "Luigi was possessed by a spirit." The man sat back, a bit confused. "But, not by one of the spirits in the mansion," He mused with a thoughtful frown.

WHAT?!

At this dreadful statement, the Hylians and anthros turned to stare at Luigi; whose cheeks pinked slightly. "How could he have gotten possessed?" Falco demanded, turning a dark gaze on the old man. In an unconscious move, Luigi reached up and rubbed at his neck…right where the scar sat. 

Was it possible…?  
Wait a minute…!

"Professor Gadd," Luigi spoke up, catching everyone's attention. "When you were younger," He began, his head lowering slightly. "Did you by any chance have a lab at the base of a volcano while studying Thwomps?" Gadd gaped at him, as if stunned by the question. "H-Ho-How d-did y-y-you know?" The elderly man demanded, his voice a weak stammer.

Oh dear.

**_Then it wasn't a dream…_**

…but a memory.

"What do we do now?" Fox asked, his voice soft as a sense of unease could be felt. Forcing the pain back, Luigi was finally able to sit up, before trying to stand; only to fall back onto the cot. "I'm going back," He said through gritted teeth. The vulpine sighed, hanging his head in return. "I had a feeling that you were going to say that," He grumbled. "You'll need to empty the Poltergust first," Gadd pointed out, dryly.

Huh?

Luigi looked down, seeing the Poltergust was propped against the cot. "Follow me," Gadd gestured for him to follow. Luigi shakily got to his feet, and picked up the Poltergust. "What about them?" Link asked, gesturing to Luigi's sleeping cousins. Luigi gave a sad smile, and shook his head. 

"Let them sleep," He said softly. 

.-.-.-.

Luigi followed Gadd to a room that he hadn't known about before. Inside, was a bunch of machines in various sizes and shapes; all connected to one another via a set of thin pipes. "This, my boy," Gadd said with a proud tone. "Is the Ghost Portrificationizer." Luigi raised an eyebrow at the rather odd, and complicated sounding name. "This is what I use to turn those pesky spirits into portraits."

**_So, that's how it happened._ **

"Simply release them into that vent," Gadd pointed to the far left, and Luigi followed his gaze to one part of the machine where a lone vent was built in. Looking down at the Poltergust, which he had adjusted to his back once more, Luigi unhooked the hose and walked up to the vent; and inserted the hose. 

The Poltergust shuddered and something slid down the hose and into the ventilation system. He took a step back, watching as something moved up the pipes and into the spherical-shaped machine next to the ventilation system. Luigi peered through the lone window, watching as blue, misty balls dropped in. To his shock, those misty balls had glowing yellow eyes! The misty balls spun around in the sphere, before they were pulled through the pipes to the next section of this bizzare machine. They were promptly flattened out and moved down a conveyor belt, lightning cackling as something came down; flattening them even further. The truly thin and flattened balls went through one last machine, before highly decorated frames popped out.

The first was of a familiar man sitting in a chair with a book (looking somewhat bored), and seeing those greenish eyes sent a spark of anger through Luigi. The second was of a pretty young woman with shoulder length blond hair and light sea green eyes; she was even dressed in a pink-and-purple dress. For some reason, she was brushing her hair. The last was that of a baby in a cream colored onesy. The baby only had a tuft of emerald green hair and the same light green eyes as the woman. The longer he looked at this painting, the stronger his unease grew; and was that the faint sound of rattling?

Wait a minute…  
…a gold frame?


	10. Fischi Scantenato

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, it's time to return to the mansion. And ever so slowly, Luigi is coming out of his shell. Who knew he could be sarcastic and with a temper to match?

Walking back into the small room that was the lab, Luigi was silent; lost in his own thoughts about the effects of the Ghost Portrificationizer. He wondered if the spirits felt anything when their forms were pressed and flattened before being sealed into a portrait. If so, he wouldn't wish that fate on anyone.

Sigh…

"Guess you're going back?" Falco asked dryly, once he saw that Luigi and the professor had returned. Looking embarrassed, Luigi sheepishly nodded. The avian sighed heavily, before giving the young man a stern look. "Not without us, you aren't," He said flatly, gesturing to Fox, Wolf and himself.

Um…

Luigi chewed his bottom lip, a little nervous about letting them come; before looking hesitantly to Gadd. The old man was silent, looking thoughtful, before heaving a great sigh. "Might as well," He murmured. He gave Luigi a bemused look, his eyes twinkling behind his glasses. "Who knows, maybe they'll be able to keep you out of trouble, young man," He told Luigi, who looked affronted. 

Oi!

"That's that," Fox said quietly, his green eyes slightly hard. "We're going." Luigi looked away, a sense of unease growing. Something about them coming was sending chills through him. Before they could leave, Gadd called out to them. "Before you leave," He called as Luigi looked back to him. "You'll need this to continue."

Oh?

Luigi tilted his head, curious as the old man held out a pink key; yes, a _pink_ key. He took it, inspecting it carefully. Hm, it bore a heart shaped crest on it. Wait a minute, a heart? Luigi looked back up, realizing that Gadd was still talking. "That key was in your pocket when you were brought it," He explained.

Hmm...

.-.-.-.

The now much larger group returned to the mansion, entering the foyer. The same door that Luigi kept Ganondorf from using, oddly enough, bore a heart; which could barely be seen under the thorns. Getting an idea, Luigi pulled the key from his pocket and slowly approached the door; ignoring the warning calls from the others. However, as he approached the door, there was a soft hum as the purple shield shimmered once, twice, before disappearing all together. The thorns slowly evaporated, granting the surprised man access. Now free of thorns and the shield, Luigi reached out and inserted the key into the lock, a soft click and the door slid open.

"…Luigi?"

Huh?

Luigi turned, startled when a pair of small arms wrapped around his legs; the owner trembling. Curious, he looked down and was surprised to see a Toad hugging him. "Toad?" Luigi tilted his head. "What are you doing here?" The little Toad wiped away his tears as he stood back. "When Princess Peach heard that Mario went missing," He began as the large group looked down; surprised, if not confused by the little guy. "She sent some of us here to find him," He paused before turning pink. "Unfortunately, we found a whole bunch of ghosts," Toad squeaked. "You know what will happen if Mario doesn't come back!"

**_Don't remind me._ **

Sighing, Luigi placed a gentle hand on Toad's cap, causing the little one to look up with teary dark eyes. "That's why we're here, Toad," He said quietly. Toad sniffed, rubbing at his eyes. "You promise?" Luigi nodded, a sad, if tired smile graced his lips. Toad smiled, looking relieved by the promise. "Thank you, Luigi!" Without warning, the lights turned out, illuminating the foyer with a soft, warm glow. "If you can find the others," Toad continued, obvious to the others. "I'm sure they’d be willing to help out!" Luigi gave a slight nod and turned back to the now opened door. What could lay beyond this door?

**(...)**

Behind the door laid an interesting set of hallways. There was a door down the far right and the far left of the hall, and looking ahead, it was clear that there was another set of doors; one on each side. Hm, pulling the GBH out, Luigi checked the map and raised an eyebrow. "Man, what's with this place?" Fox grumbled, shivering as the temperature dropped slightly. "Think any of these doors open?" Wolf wondered, his lone amethyst eye scanning the area.

"No."

The lupine glanced at Luigi, as if amused. "Oh?" He said with a light tone. Luigi just sent him a look, holding up the GBH with a huff. "According to this, there's only one door opened," He said dryly. "All the way down the hall and to the left," Luigi snorted. "It's the second door you'll come across."

Oh.

"Smart ass," Wolf teased as a faint smirk was his answer. Snorting, the group headed down the hall; following Luigi's instructions. However, as they made their way to the lone room, something quite…odd happened.

_"Heh…heh…heh…"_

Luigi jumped, blue eyes wide as something lowered from the ceiling with a cackling screech. "Oh bother," Zelda grumbled as she looked back. "Not another one!" The anthros turned, and were startled by the sight of a toonish looking ghost. It was rather tall, reaching from the ceiling with a wide grin, glowing yellow eyes and a gleeful cackle. Blue eyes narrowed as Luigi glared at the mischievous ghost, his heart racing from the sudden cackle. Green energy cackled ominously around his right fist, and he looked pissed. "Not funny!" Luigi hissed through gritted teeth, before he punched the startled ghost right in the nose. It screeched, rubbing at its nose; shocked by the pain that it could now feel.

Looking into those angry blue eyes, the ghost squeaked before promptly vanishing. "Got a temper on ya, don't ya Luigi?" Falco teased before Luigi sent him a dirty look. "Hey, just saying!" Falco’s voice was light, but there was amusement dancing in his eyes. It was interesting, though; for both the Hylians and anthros. During the Smash Tournaments, Luigi was such a quiet soul and so shy at that. Shy enough that he preferred to stay around those of his world, instead of trying to get to know others. But now, with this most recent event, Luigi seemed to be coming out of his shell.

Wonder what else he was hiding?

Somehow, there was no other interruptions. Perhaps that annoying ghost warned the others about Luigi's reaction? If the ghosts were hiding due to Luigi's temper, it would be freaking hilarious. Finding the one door that was unlocked, it slid open; revealing a rather small bathroom. "There's nothing here," Fox grumbled. Looking around, Luigi spotted a golden key sitting on a shelf that was above the tub. "There," He said softly, pointing to the key. "That's what we need." Following his gaze, the others soon spotted the golden key. "Anyone get the feeling that this is a trap?" Link asked, his soft voice hinting at a dry tone.

"It's not just you."

Ganondorf was tense, his golden eyes scanning the small, darkened room. The key was sitting in an innocent spot, but with these toonish spirits everywhere? Any room was a potential trap. Case in point was when Luigi took a single step into the room, the door promptly slammed shut.

Shit!

For awhile, the group could only wait, feeling helpless as the sounds of something happened behind that bloody door. It was the sound of furniture breaking and pained grunts, and cackling screeches. After a painful and awkward pause, the door slowly slid open; revealing a tired, if a bit ruffled, Luigi. "I'm really starting to hate the culo whose summoning these dannazione things!" He grumbled, unconsciously slipping into Italian in his anger. His ribs were aching from the painful squeeze, not to mention being punched in the chest. Nonetheless, he got the key; hopefully they wouldn't ask any questions about what happened.

Then again…

He wearily pulled out the GBH, and saw that the key was to a door that was back near the foyer entrance. "The door is near where we came in," He sighed, before pocketing the GBH once more. Luigi lingered behind the group, but his actions did not go unnoticed by the lone female. "Luigi," Zelda said softly as she matched his pace. "What happened back there?"

Um…

A hand subconsciously reached down to his tender ribs, and Luigi grimaced. "It's nothing," He mumbled. At her raised eyebrow, he knew that she wasn't buying his words; but she kept silent, something that he was grateful for.

"Is this it?"

…hm?

Luigi looked up, a bit surprised when everyone came to a halt before a door. Turning his head slightly to the right, he saw the door that lead back to the foyer. Huh, he must have been more distracted than he thought. Checking the GBH, and sure enough, this door was the one that the key was connected to it. Pocketing the GBH, Luigi pulled out the key, inserted it and stepped back as the door slid open…

…revealing a ballroom.

_Since when did mansions have a ballroom?_

'Twas the thought that rang in everyone. It was true, though. You would expect to see ballrooms inside castles, not a simple home. Like the other rooms, this one was dark and dreary with cobwebs hanging from the ceiling. Faint outlines of dusty curtains could be seen as well as pictures that lined the walls. The floor was a combination of black-and-white tiles (which spun around in a jerky movement), but rich chestnut wood. A dusty chandelier hung over the tiles. Without warning, an eerie melody began to play. The haunting notes hung in the air, and it sent a chill down their spines. Where was the music even coming from? Luigi raised an eyebrow as a young couple appeared over one of the tilesets.

Oh?

The couple both had blond locks in various shades; although the woman had chin length curls and the man's was short and slicked back, and glowing green eyes. The man wore a fine vest and red velvety jacket, and the woman wore a green gown and pearls.

**/"Would you look at that, dear?"/** The man purred as he spun his wife around in an elegant manner. **/"Such fools these mortals be."/** The woman casually glanced their way, before her lips curled up slightly. **/"As if these mortals can see us,"/** She mocked, accepting her husband's lead. **/"I suggest that you go away,"/** The woman said coldly. **/"My husband and I need to make sure that our routine is perfect."/**

"Can't do that, lady," Luigi said dryly, catching the couple's attention. The woman turned and glared down at him. **/"How dare you!"/** She hissed with curled lips. Her husband placed a calming hand on her shoulder. **/"Dear, I doubt that he can see us, much less ruin our routine,"/** He soothed.

**_That's what you think._ **

"Do I even wanna know what you're doing?" Falco asked dryly, sending an amused look at Luigi, who snorted. "Not really," He shot back, before sending a dirty look at the couple. "I'm afraid that the cagna here needs a little reprimanding," He mocked the infuriated ghost. "Now, if you'll excuse me for a few moments…"

Huh?

The anthros were confused, but understandment dawned on the Hylians as Luigi unsheathed the Poltergust. "Another one, hm?" Ganondorf mused as Luigi nodded, before the Poltergust latched onto some _thing_. It was quiet curious as Luigi was pulled around in a rough manner; and was that a purple mushroom scattering about? And yet, Luigi was able to keep a firm grasp as the spirit, or in this case, spirits pulled away in a frantic gesture to escape. Moments later, the last of them was pulled in and he resheathed the hose.

Somehow, a small green and gold chest appeared between the tile floors. Second later, the chandelier lights came on; bathing the room in a soft, warm glow. Just out of curiosity, he pulled out the GBH and switched it over to the files, before reading out the latest ones: The Floating Whirlindas. _"The Floating Whirlindas,"_ Luigi began, reading the small bio on the couple. _"Once the local waltz champions, they can no longer compete since their feet don't touch the floor."_ Luigi rolled his eyes, somehow knowing that even in death, it was the wife who wanted to keep wining. 

Women, yeesh.

Checking the chest, Link found another key sitting inside. He picked it up and handed it over to Luigi, who calmly took it. No doubt about where this one went to, he didn't even need the GBH to tell him. Going to the lone door that was at the far end of the room, he inserted the key into the lock, and the door slowly slid open. Taking a chance, Luigi peered inside and relaxed at the sight. Despite the darkened room, he saw numerous boxes piled in the corners. Just a storage room, nothing bad should happen here…right?

Famous last words.

"We're in luck," Luigi called softly. "It's just a storage room." The others slowly piled into the small room, only for the door to slam behind the last one. "You were saying?" Wolf asked, flatly as Luigi's cheeks turned pink. 

_"Heh, heh, heh…"_

…uh-oh… 

Suddenly, a pair of cold arms wrapped around Luigi's waist, pinning his arms to the side; rapidly tightening around him. "Hey!" He growled, struggling as the ghost's grasp tightened further. "Get off!" The others turned, shocked to see a blood red toonish ghost; only this one was fairly tall with glowing yellow eyes. Unfortunately, it had a pretty damn good hold on the furious Italian man. Moments later, another ghost appeared, slightly smaller than the one holding Luigi; but bulkier. It had a purplish-pink tint to it, thinner arms but bigger hands, and glowing yellow eyes. "Uh, a little help guys?" Luigi growled out, still struggling to escape. He was so not in the mood to get punched; again. His ribs wouldn't be able to take another hit.

"And how are we supposed to do that?!" Fox demanded, his voice slightly higher than normal. Seeing these things was definitely not normal for the anthros. His anger, having reached the boiling point, finally snapped. Dark green energy surged from his fists, and at the same time, the purple one reached him; before both ghosts were screeching in pain from being electrocuted. Luigi fell to his knees, wheezing as the two ghosts shook. Looking at the downed man with fear, they promptly vanished. Link held out a hand to the dazed man, his blue eyes curious. "Have you always been able to do that?" He asked curiously, helping Luigi to his feet. "Remind me to tell you guys about the Bean Bean Kingdom," He muttered.

Oh no.

A surge of pain went through his chest, and Luigi bent over slightly, coughing heavily into his left hand. It was a low, wet cough; an ominous rattling was felt in his chest. He gave one last, wet cough and stared numbly at his hand; coated with thick blood.

Oh dear.

**_I must've busted a rib..._ **

"What's with this button?" Falco asked, having inspected the now lit room. There wasn't much to the room, just a few stacked boxes, as well as a broom, mop and bucket. He spotted a big red button on the left wall. "Why not try it, whelp?" Wolf mocked, his voice low but mocking.

Probably shouldn't do that.

Before Luigi could stop Falco, he pressed the button. There was a low rumble, and even the ground shook a bit as the far left wall began to slid back; revealing that there was a part of the room that had been hidden from view. "I'm not even going to ask," The man muttered, shaking his head. After awhile, the wall came to a halt. The storage room was a lot bigger than they assumed. But, what was with the poster over there? Taking a good look at it, Luigi saw that it was a poster for a horror movie; can we say cliche? Tugging at it, he was surprised to find another button behind it. But this one had the words 'DO NOT PRESS' painted in red.

**_Why am I getting a bad feeling about this?_ **

Luigi took a step back in unease, his ribs continued to ache and he knew that he needed to get them checked out. It wouldn't do him any good if he had punctured a lung; but with that bloody cough…yikes.

_Click_

Wait - what?

Luigi whirled around, only to see that the button had been pressed by accident, thanks to the sheepish expressions on both Falco and Fox. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, there was a loud rattle of metal clanging and the sounds of a gate opening. The temperature dropped slightly as the lights dimmed, and Luigi paled when he heard a familiar, high pitched cackle.

Oh HELL no.

His blue eyes narrowed when he saw numerous Boos flying out from a hidden metal grate in the floor. With them, was a slightly larger than average Boo; glowing red eyes with shadows lingering around them, razor sharp fangs and a large crown sat on their head, a blood ruby shone.

King Boo.

_"Who was it that freed us?"_ One Boo asked as they settled in the enlarged room. _"Is that…Luigi?"_ Another asked, spotting the unusual group. _"It's the Poltergust!"_ Another cried. _"Scram!"_ King Boo ordered, before every last Boo scattered; leaving behind a dumbfounded group. Luigi twitched, gritting his teeth as he realized the implications of their situation.

"I _hate_ Boos!"


	11. Ombra della Disperazione

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Boo's have been unleashed, and Luigi is _not_ happy. Upon returning to the mansion, things are different. Luigi is starting to show a different persona than what they are used too, and his quirks only grow as time goes on. But an ominous warning sends a chill through the group. Could Madame Clairvoya be right to warn them...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to give everyone a heads up on the Italian. I just used Google translate, hope it's as accurate as possible.

"I _hate_ Boos!"

A low hum.  
...huh?

Realizing that the hum was from the GBH, Luigi pulled it out, flicking it on as Gadd's face appeared. _"Huh, so that's where those pesky Boos went too,"_ He mused. _"Then again, you lads probably shouldn't have let them all out."_ Luigi sent Fox and Falco dirty looks, before focusing on the GBH once more. _"Come back to the labs,"_ Gadd continued. _"And I can upgrade the GBH so you can track those Boos down."_ Sighing, Luigi pocketed the GBH before rubbing the bridge of his nose tiredly. "What were those things, anyway?" Zelda asked, curiously. "Boos," Luigi said tiredly. "Mischievous spirits that tend to annoy everyone." 

Luigi promptly marched over and grabbed at both Falco and Fox's jackets and proceeded to drag the protesting anthros out; all the while, scolding the two for their actions. The Hylians and Wolf followed behind them, snickering softly. Despite his frail appearance, Luigi was fairly strong, and he wasn't letting up on the two embarrassed anthros.

Heh.

.-.-.-.

When the group reached the labs, it was noticed that Wario and Waluigi were awake; and neither of the two were happy with the recent news. Luigi handed the GBH over to Gadd who went to his workbench and began to fiddle with the machine. "How many Boos were released?" Wario asked, dryly as he gave the two anthros dirty looks. Like his cousins, Wario was not fond of the mischievous spirits, and neither was Waluigi.

"At least fifty," Luigi said sourly.

Ouch.

_"Dannazione,"_ Waluigi cursed. _"Saranno un dolore,"_ Luigi grumbled. _"Lo so e basta!"_ He continued, huffing as Wario and Waluigi exchanged looks. Luigi's displeasure with the mischievous spirits was practically legendary among the Mushroom Kingdom. Hell, the two were pretty sure that even Bowser and his kingdom knew!

"Done!" Gadd announced.

Oh?

The cousins turned, ignoring the confused looks from the others; as they had been speaking in Italian, only to see Gadd holding up the GBH. This time, there was a little, semi-clear light attached. "It's quite simple," Gadd explained, seeing everyone's confusion. "The Boo radar will react if there is a Boo in the room." He then handed the now upgraded GBH back to Luigi, who calmly pocketed it.

Sigh.

"Look," Luigi said quietly as he looked at the Hylians and anthros. "You've never dealt with Boo's before," He continued. "Just give me half an hour, and then you can come in." Before anyone could even react, Luigi stomped out of the room; and probably towards the mansion. After an awkward pause, Falco looked to the two cousins with curiosity. "Does he really hate these Boo's that much?" Wario and Waluigi exchanged looks, before snorting. "Oh, you have no idea," Wario said dryly. "Heh," Waluigi cackled. "Luigi's displeasure with Boo's is legendary!" He wiped a tear from his eye. "I'm pretty sure that even Bowser knows!" And the lizard king was pretty dense with a lot of things, so if he knew about this, then it had to be a pretty common thing. It was roughly forty-five minutes of tense waiting, when a low beep came in from one of Gadd's machines. "Oh?" Gadd was amused before looking to the group. 

"Looks like you can go ahead and join him."

.-.-.-.

The Hylians and anthros entered the foyer, only to see a rather tired looking Luigi waiting for them by the opened doorway. He was a bit paler than he had been before, and his clothes were slightly ruffled. Seeing them enter, Luigi smirked, and pulled out a golden key. "This goes to the room next over," He said lightly.

Seriously, what was he hiding?

The group reluctantly followed Luigi into the hallway, and down to the right. And sure enough, there was a door there. Luigi walked up to the door, took out the key; inserting it into the lock. There was a soft click as the door slowly slid open. Upon entering the room, and despite it being quite dark, they could still make things out; and this room was not like the others. The room was fairly sparse, save for the four twisted pillars in the center of the room, a visible blue rug, a nightstand with a candelabra, a full floor-sized candelabra, and there was something in the center of the pillars. Resting between the pillars was a visible purple canopy, an intricate golden chair, and a long golden table with a red silk table cloth. Sitting on the table, was a small stand wrapped in purple cloth, and upon the stand was a large, semi-clear crystal ball.

Wait…  
…a crystal ball?

Getting an idea, Luigi aimed his flashlight on the crystal ball. It glowed softly, before a spirit appeared. However, unlike the others, this spirit was visible to the startled group. The spirit in question was female, with long white-blond hair, pale blue skin, and almond shaped solid, yet light golden eyes. She wore a blood red dress with a purple shawl/scarf, a set of golden bangles, earrings and a layered necklace, and a purple 'eye' scarf was wrapped around the lower half of her face.

Oh?

"Pardon me, mam," Zelda called; wondering if this was a natural spirit. And if so, why was she visible? "But, who are you?" The woman's golden eyes scanned the group, and she seemed to smile. **"I know who you are,"** Her voice was low and husky. **"And I know why you are here Luigi."**

…what?

**"You are looking for your brother, Mario,"** She continued. **"Are you not?"** Surprised, Luigi nodded, before realization dawned on him. "You're clairvoyant," Luigi said slowly. "Aren't you?" The woman gave the barest of nods. **"My name is Madame Clairvoya,"** She introduced herself in a polite tone. Clairvoya…great, a freaking pun. **"When your brother was captured,"** Clairvoya said quietly. **"The Boo's left several of his items scattered throughout the mansion."** Her eyes bore into Luigi's. **"If you can find them and bring them to me, I can guide you in the right direction."**

**_Why am I not surprised?_ **

**"There is something that you'll need in the next room."** She gestured to a door that was partially hidden by purple curtains. Luigi started for the door, and failed to see that Madame Clairvoya had stopped the others from following. She clearly wanted to talk with them, but wished to keep Luigi out of the discussion. Moments later, he had gone through the door, leaving the others behind.

Curious.

Zelda turned her head, curious as to why the spirit had gestured for them to remain. "Mam?" She asked, her voice gentle. **"I wish to speak with you,"** Clairvoya said quietly, her golden eyes lingering towards the door where Luigi had gone through, before focusing on them once more. **"He's a good kid, you know."**

Huh?

**"But his past is full of pain and darkness,"** She whispered, before her ran over her crystal. **"Do you recall how his cousins reacted to the marks on his neck?"** Confused, they nodded as she sighed. **"Those were not ordinary marks,"** She murmured. **"That would not be the first time he faces death."**

Wait…  
…WHAT?!

"W-what do y-you mean by that?" Fox rasped, his voice stuttering. Madame Clairvoya glanced at her crystal, which was emitting a soft glow. **"Death comes for him,"** She warned the stunned group. 

**"Tonight."**

She grew quiet when the door suddenly opened, and a slightly pale Luigi returned. He was drained and breathing a bit heavier than normal. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Luigi saw that the others were lingering around Madame Clairvoya, and was curious as to what they were talking about. But, seeing their states; noting that they were in a state of shock, decided to leave things alone.

For now, anyway.

Sighing, he looked around the room, noting that there were candles in all four corners, before realizing that none were lit. His eyes dimmed in thought as he recalled the item that Madame Clairvoya had spoken of. It was a small red medallion that bore a fire symbol; giving off an aura of warmth. When he had picked it up, the medallion had vanished into reddish-orange lights; and the lights were promptly absorbed into his hands.

What if…?

Breathing softly, Luigi closed his eyes, and to the shock of the others, bright red-orange flames swirled lazily around his arms. His eyes slowly opened and he stared down numbly at his now fiery limbs. Despite what was happening, the fire didn't hurt; it felt warm and comforting. Tiny balls of pure flames rose up; said flames sported glowing yellow eyes. The fiery balls raced towards the candles, igniting them instantly. Moments later, as the last candle was lit, the fire died away; and then with a soft klink, a golden key cluttered to the floor. 

Oh?

Checking the GBH, Luigi was surprised to see that it went to a room that was all the way down the hall to the left of the room that they were in. He looked up, noting that the others were still in a state of shock, before deciding to check the new room out before they could snap out of their state. He quietly snuck out and headed down the hall, leaving the others behind. Oh, he knew he was going to get reamed for leaving them behind.

…

"Think this could help?"

…huh?

Snapping out of their daze, the group were startled to see Luigi standing in front of Madame Clairvoya; when he had only been by the second door moments before. He held out a familiar looking red cap to the spirit, a look of bemusement shone softly in his blue eyes. Madame Clairvoya ran her hands along her now glowing crystal with a barely concealed frown. **"Hmm…"** She murmured. **"Your brother is very much alive,"** Luigi perked up at that, relieved by the admission. **"But he is trapped, somewhere here in the mansion."** Luigi frowned deeply at that, the faint feeling that the Boo's were involved kept nagging at him. **"By the way,"** Clairvoya mused. **"Have you met Shivers yet?"**

Who?

Clairvoya smiled slightly, an odd gleam reflected in her eyes. **"Shivers was once a butler,"** She explained. **"But now he wanders the halls, looking for his master's will."** Luigi's blue eyes narrowed slightly. **"Despite being dead, the man has grown a bit of a crush on young Melody."** Her eyes met Luigi's, and something seemed to pass through them.

Greedy and perverted?

Just peachy.

Shaking his head, Luigi gave Madame Clairvoya a wave, and the group reluctantly left the room behind. However, despite the ominous news that the group had received (they couldn't tell Luigi about Clairvoya's warning!) something quite unusual happened once outside the Fortune-Teller's room…

To their bafflement, a three-stick candelabra was floating in mid-air. Luigi's blue eyes narrowed slightly, darkening a bit as red flames swirled ominously around his right fist. Strangely enough, a familiar looking fiery ball slowly emerged from the flames and struck the floating candelabra.

**SCREECH!**

**/"Yah!"/** A gravelly voice yelled as a man appeared before Luigi. The spirit in question was indeed an old man with slicked back purplish hair in a widow's peak, a somewhat wide forehead, a square jaw and solid green eyes. The man wore what looked like a butler's uniform; leaving Luigi to wonder if this man was Shivers. **/"Get it away!"/** The man yelled, before he was scurrying down the hall. A comical teardrop appeared behind Luigi's head as he slapped the side of his head in embarrassment. The faint cry of _'my beloved Melody'_ sent his blood boiling. "Torna qui, dannato pervertito!" He yelled, slipping into Italian as he chased the butler down the hall. Then, the shocked voices of Wario and Waluigi could be heard from the GBH.

_"Luigi!"_ They yelled.  
_"Attento alla tua lingua!"_

"Oh, mordimi!" Luigi snapped back.

Okay…

"What was that about?" Falco asked, dumbly. "Somehow, I get the feeling that we don't want to know," Zelda said dryly. Whatever Luigi was chasing, sure got him upset and for some reason, she felt oddly satisfied as Luigi chased the apparition down the hall. There was some faint yelling, and what sounded like something hitting the walls. About fifteen minutes later, a rather fuming Luigi returned.

"Don't ask," He muttered.

Checking the map on the GBH, Luigi saw that the new key was for a door that was down the long narrow hall from the foyer door, and toward the left and was the first door that they would come across. Getting an idea, he pressed a button, and the map zoomed in closer, revealing the name of said room.

Conservatory.

.-.-.-.

Conservatory…  
…was a musical room?

The room was the one of the biggest rooms so far. The walls appeared to be a dark cherry with a dark red carpet, and several windows lined the walls. Looking around, they saw three sets of drums, a saxophone, a harp, a cello, a xylophone and a gorgeous baby grand piano. There were a pair of pictures along the far wall, but it was too dark to make them out. Looking at the assortment of instruments, Luigi got an idea. He waved off the others as he walked forward and gently tapped each one. Surprisingly enough, a cheerful melody began to play, and it sounded oddly familiar.

Sweet laughter.

…oh?

Luigi turned, watching as a rather pretty young woman appeared at the piano. She was young, perhaps early twenties with long, pale blond hair and almond shaped yellow eyes. She wore an old fashioned red gown, and was smiling sweetly at Luigi.

**/"That was wonderful!"/** She said happily. **/"You must have an ear for such a lovely tune,"/** She teased as he turned pink. Wait, could this be the Melody that Madame Clairvoya spoke of? "Excuse me," He called softly as the girl gazed at him expectantly. "But are you Melody?" The girl arched an eyebrow, looking amused.

**/"I am."/**

Melody tilted her head, curiously inspecting the young man. While young, she could sense that there was something off about this man. Almost as if he wasn't there, but that should be impossible…shouldn't it? **/"Would you care to hear my latest piece?"/** She asked politely. Luigi blinked owlishly at the sudden request, but he nodded. Smiling with joy, Melody turned to the piano and began to play a sweet, comforting melody; much to the confusion of the others. They could not see her, but they could still hear her music.

As Luigi closed his eyes, he was suddenly comforted by the scent of coconuts and the salty sea air. After awhile, the tune stopped as Melody turned to him, pleased with the peaceful expression that he had. **/"Well?"/** She began. **/"Can you tell me what that song reminded you of?"/**

Hm…

"Water," Luigi said after awhile. "It reminded me of the beach." Melody giggled, clapping her hands with delight. **/"Yes!"/** She squealed. **/"That song was indeed an inspiration of the ocean!"/** Falco came up to an amused Luigi, wondering about the so-called one-sided conversation. "I take it that you made this person happy?" Smiling, Luigi nodded. At least, Miss Melody wasn't as bad as some of the others that they had come across. **/"Well then,"/** Melody giggled. **/"I suppose that we should get things moving, no?"/** Then, Melody turned to the piano and began to play once more. However, this time, music sheets came to life and flew at alarming speeds; all heading straight for Luigi.

Yikes!

Luigi jumped back, the Poltergust hose in his hands within seconds. The others had to scramble back in order to avoid being sliced by the now enchanted sheets. Luckily, there wasn't all that much; only five sheets. As the last sheet got caught by the Poltergust, so did the ghostly tail of Melody. Melody was fairly strong as she struggled to escape the powerful wind of the machine. But, Luigi was beyond stubborn. If these spirits were his way of finding Mario, then so be it; he would capture every last one. Somehow, he was able to keep her in a corner and away from the piano, although it was a bit of an effort for him to keep his hold on the hose.

…

"…is that a mushroom?"

At long last, Melody was pulled into the Poltergust. At the same time, the lights came on as a small green chest appeared in front of the drum set. Ooh, his arms were burning as he tiredly sheathed the Poltergust. Even dead, females were dangerous. "What was with the purple mushroom?" Falco asked after a long and awkward pause. Luigi sighed, watching as the purple mushroom slowly faded. "A Poison Shroom," He said quietly. "It has a nasty side effect of shrinking its victims."

Ouch.

Checking the GBH, he flipped through until he came to the profiles and read out the latest one on one Melody Pianissima. _"Melody Pianissima,"_ He read, his voice soft. _"Despite playing moving melodies, she has a surly disposition."_ Luigi raised an eyebrow, looking amused as he read further. _"Oddly enough, she loves video games."_

Interesting. 

Smiling, he switched the GBH over to the map and saw that a key had appeared over another door. Hm, the door was right across from the ballroom. As he pocketed the GBH, a sudden chill went down Luigi's spine. 

**_Why am I getting a bad feeling about this…?_ **

.-.-.-.

Ugh.

The door that was across from the ballroom, as it turned out, led to a rather nice looking dining room. There were a set of glass china hutches, as well as a rather long table that had a white table cloth. This included a massive feast, and a set of candelabras scattered among the food. But, this wasn't what got Luigi's attention. It was a sour mixture of sweat, grease, expired food and something that was so unappealing, that it couldn't even be described. Luigi promptly covered his nose as his face turned a greenish color; catching the attention of the others.

"What's your problem?" Falco asked, curious about the sudden reaction. Instead of answering, Luigi darted passed the table and for the other door that was across from them. Moments later, the sounds of violent heaving greeted them, which sent a spark of alarm through the stunned group. Looking at one another, they darted across the hall and found a somewhat small kitchen. Luigi was at the sink, breathing heavily as he turned the faucet on, his face had a slight greenish-gray tinge. There was a soft buzz, before the alarmed voices of his cousins were heard over the GBH. _"Che diavolo è successo, Luigi?!"_ Wario demanded, sounding frantic. _"Sembra tuo malato,"_ Waluigi pointed out, grimily.

"You're so lucky that you can't see or hear spirits," Luigi groaned, before splashing water on his face. _"Non poteva essere così male,"_ Wario sounded confused, before a squeak could be heard as Luigi took out the GBH, his blue eyes flaring with rage as he glared down at the little machine. "Not that bad?!" He hissed. _"Il fetore è peggiore delle bombe che hai lanciato dopo aver mangiato!"_ Luigi snapped, ignoring their indigent squawks that was done in response. Still annoyed, he hit the mute for the radio before pocketing it.

"So," Fox said lamely. "What happened back there?" Sighing heavily, Luigi leaned against the counter; his blue eyes dim. "All I can say is that you and Wolf would most likely have passed out," He pointed out, his voice dry. He stopped before glaring at the fridge, and before they knew it, he delivered a vicious kick to the appliance

_"Non pensarci nemmeno!"_ He snapped.

The fridge shook and the faint sound of screeches could be heard, before the lights abruptly turned on. Moments later, a green-and-gold chest appeared right in front of the sink. Hm, sounded like there was something hiding in the fridge. Wait a minute, how did Luigi know about that? Huffing, Luigi opened the chest, surprised to find a large medal sitting on the cream colored cloth. The medal was shaded a deep blue, and it bore a teardrop; and was it dripping? Luigi blinked, surprised when the medal melted into his hands; a soothing calmness washed over him.

_…play…?_

Huh?

He looked up, surprised to see a glowing ball of pure water hovering by the sink faucet. Its bright yellow eyes met Luigi, and it bounced in the air in a joyful manner. It nuzzled the startled man, before it entered his frozen form; his hands glowing softly before the light faded.

What the - ?

Something nagged at him, and Luigi's attention was drawn to a door that was to the left of the kitchen sink. Somehow, he had a feeling that this door led outside; and the unease that he had felt before, came back, stronger than ever.

.-.-.-.

The door did indeed lead to a backyard; only that it was rather small. It was walled off by a stone wall, a large dog house and empty dog bowl, a small garden patch and a working water pump. Wait a minute…what was that on the other side of the stone wall?

_…Grrr…_

…huh?

Just as Luigi turned at the sound of the loud growl, something sharp tore into his left leg. This was immediately followed by a burning heat and a warm liquid began to drip as the acute pain struck. He screamed in pain, his body shaking as he looked down, and saw through the red haze at what was attacking him.

A ghostly dog.

It was a larger than normal bulldog with pale blue-purple skin, huge fangs and solid, beady green eyes. The dog's angry eyes met his, and it dug its fangs in even deeper. "Get off of me!" Luigi screamed, kicking at the dog, who growled with fury. In his frantic attempt to get the dog to let go, the working pump; which had been dripping with water, began to flow with more force. The group stared in shock, alarmed when Luigi had screamed in pain; Clairvoya's warning rang ominously in their mind, only to gap in stunned amazement when the now flowing water lashed out and struck…something that had latched onto the man. The water slammed into something, and the faintest of yelps could be heard. Luigi fell back on his rump, wheezing as his body shook from the sudden onslaught of pain. Concerned, Zelda knelt down and winced when she saw the damage.

Amidst the torn cloth, visible deep puncture wounds marred the tender flesh; the skin around the wound rapidly turning red. Dark crimson blood was flowing freely from the wounds, it was as if an animal of some kind caused it. Unfortunately, with such a deep wound, her healing magic wasn’t going to be of much help. All Zelda could do was ease his pain, and did so; but not before warning Luigi to be more careful with his leg. Whimpering, Luigi slowly stood up, only to wince as he put weight down on his bad leg. _Accidenti!_ What else could go wrong tonight? Breathing slowly, as to not aggravate his pain, Luigi turned dark eyes on the panting dog.

That did it.

Scowling, Luigi unhooked the Poltergust hose and aimed it right at the panting dog and switched it on. He smirked when it promptly latched onto the now frightened pooch. The dog yelped, high pitched barks as it struggled to escape the ever growing pull of the Poltergust; whining pitfully. However, Luigi was not about to relent, as he was pissed about having a freaking ghost dog mangling his leg like that. With one last high pitched whine, the dog was pulled into the Poltergust. A pleased and gleeful Luigi resheathed the hose. At the same time, the backyard became illuminated with a soft, but dim glow. Also, a strange white mist began to trickle from the dog house.

Okay…

"Are you okay?” Fox asked softly, his nose twitching as both he and Wolf smelt the fresh blood. Luigi grimaced as his leg flared. "I'll live," He growled. "What's with the smoke?" Falco wondered, bending down so that he could get a closer look.

Uh-oh.

Falco let out an indigent squawk as he was abruptly pulled in. "Falco!" Fox yelped, shocked when his friend suddenly vanished. A moment later, they could hear Falco's pained groan from the other side of the wall. Oh, a shortcut to the other side.

(...)

Oww…

Luigi bit his lip as he landed on his bad leg, after having gone through the mist. One-by-one, the others quickly joined him. "Why is there a freaking graveyard here?" Falco asked, weakly as they looked around with wide eyes.

Oh dear.

Sure enough, there was indeed a graveyard behind the stone wall. Numerous graves surrounded the group, sparse and gnarled trees lined the stoney walls, and a row of torches lead up to a single grave that was slightly elevated.

Hm…

A haziness suddenly washed over Luigi as his blue eyes dimmed slightly. As if in a trance, he calmly walked down the path, towards the lone grave that stood out. "Luigi!" Link hissed, reaching out for the man. "What are you doing?!" Luigi swiftly dodged the incoming hands, easily maneuvering himself around the others as he continued his trek.

Luigi stood before the lone grave, and shakily reached out for it.

**CRACK**

Everyone jumped back, shielding their eyes as a bolt of lightning struck the ground. When the light died away, they looked up; blinking owlishly only to stare in utter shock. Luigi was nowhere in sight.

"Not again!"

(...)

_…anger…_  
_…frustration…_

Luigi groaned, staggering slightly as his head throbbed. He winced as his leg protested from the sudden movement, and he was left to scan his surroundings; only to pale. Well, he was still in the graveyard - sort of. Gone were the graves, instead a tall wrought-iron fence surrounded him, with the dirt having been replaced with cold, hard stone.

**_What happened…?_ **

Luigi tensed, his hand shakily reaching for the Poltergust hose; lightning cackled ominously in the purple skies. Something was coming, he could tell, but not where. There was another flash of lightning, and Luigi scrambled backwards as something appeared.

It looked like a spirit.  
And yet, it wasn't.

It was massive in height, towering over the trembling man by a good three feet. It was made entirely from a dark purple slime like material, with three razor sharp claws on each hand, needle sharp fangs and glowing yellow eyes.

…hatred…

Oh dear.

Sensing that something was behind him, Luigi whirled around, only to see a semi-clear black version of the malicious spirit there. The thing was grinning at him, as the purple one cackled loudly. His fear turned to irritation as he gripped the Poltergust hose even tighter.

Oh hell no!

His eyes narrowing, he switched the Poltergust on and promptly pulled the black mass in, but it wasn't pulled into the machine. Getting an idea, Luigi turned and glared at the purple mass and it seemed to take a step back. His lips curled slightly as he aimed the Poltergust hose at the purple one and released the black mass. The purple one screeched as it was engulfed by the mass; leaving it paralyzed.

**_Ti ho preso, bastardo!_ **

He quickly aimed the Poltergust at the squirming ghost and it immediately began to pull and tug. His blue eyes remained locked on the thrashing ghost, never once seeing as a second black mass slowly forming behind him. The purple one screeched with absolute fury as it was slowly pulled into the blasted machine; that is, until it saw its shadow behind the unsuspecting man.

The purple one grinned toothily.

Uh-oh...

**_What is it - ?_ **

Just as the purple one's torso was being pulled in, it raised an arm, and unknown to Luigi; the shadow behind him was mimicking the purple one perfectly. It brought down its arm, and at the same time, the shadow brought its arm down on the poor man's back.

_PAIN!_

(...)

"Where is he?" Falco asked for the umpteenth time. It had been over twenty minutes since that damn lightning strike, and there was still no signs of Luigi. Madame Clairvoya's ominous words was making them all tense and agitated, and this whining wasn't doing much for their nerves.

**…bzt…**

Huh?

Without warning, a lightning bolt struck the grave once more; forcing them to look away. As the light began to clear, they could hear the faint sound of a machine short circuiting, and heavy breathing. When they could see again, they were shocked to see Luigi standing there; his back facing against them.

"Luigi?"

With a soft moan, Luigi collapsed before their very eyes. Before anyone could react, the frantic voice of one E. Gadd could be heard over the GBH. _"Luigi!"_ The man sounded frantic. _"What happened after that lightning bolt?!"_ Blood began to pool as Madame Clairvoya's words rang with a raspy whisper.

**…Death comes for him…**  
**…tonight…**

"LUIGI!"


End file.
